Pumpkins dying off at the stems

[Binkalette]

We planted 3 pumpkins in a new patch this year, one of them is doing really well and has huge, dinner plate sized leaves. The other two had slightly smaller leaves, but were still very healthy looking. Two days ago one of them just shriveled up and died. I went over to look at it and it was like.. cut off at the dirt. Now this morning I see the other is on it's way out as well. It's flopped over, but is still attached to it's roots. What is going on here?

[stella1751]

It sounds like a cut worm, but I would have thought pumpkins were too big for cut worms to fit all the way around. Weird.

[gixxerific]

sounds like cut worms as well to me.

One thing to do is to put a collar around the base of the plant when young. Anything a toilet paper roll or even just some aluminum foil.

Good luck

Here is one link on them. Google cutworm and you will find a wealth of info. I would put more links up but some had bad pesticides as control methods that I will NOT pass on to anyone.

https://kitchengardeners.org/group/cutworm-control

[Binkalette]

I had thought of Cutworms too, but the thing is the stems are almost 2 inches thick at the base!

[gixxerific]

could it be Squash Vine Borer? Do you have any pics?