2014 The GC Pumpkin growing and carving challenge

I'm not sure Allan to be honest as both pictures look like different problems. If my tomatoes got leaves like the first photo, I would treat with Epsom salts.

Any chance you could take some photos in daylight, without flash to give us a clearer view?

Steve...

Allan, I still have 1 backup plant left if you would like it (others have been given away). The seed that grew this plant came from a 1000lb plus Pumpkin. Collect from my Allotment, details sent to you by pm if your interested.

 

Still plenty of time left Joolz, your plants should get away fine in this nice weather.

Steve...

 

yeah private message me steve, thanks. just a bit worried about it being some sort of a virus as my dad planted and grew these seeds over in northumberland and brought them over to me. he is now saying his pumpkin plants all look the same as mine, but all the plants which i grew over here myself all look fine. here are some new photos.

the only things i can think it could be is
1. viral infection
2, magnesium deficiency

 

Wish I could help Allan but I haven't a clue sorry...it does look like more of a virus than a deficiency to my eyes...

 

strange thing is though it doesn't seem to be doing the plant any harm at the moment.

 

Looks like Cucumber Mosaic Virus

 

My one

 

You got some flowers on there Zig it's doing well considering it nearly got murdered by the snails

 

I don't know if you have seen this document Allan...

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Attachments/Leaf_Problems_Summer_2011.pdf

Steve...

 

I met Allan this morning when he came down to my allotment plots and collected the plant, its a nice healthy plant and the seed originally came from Richard, so its getting around the GC members a bit.

Good luck with the plant Allan!

Steve...

 

Thanks so much again Steve. lets hope it does go well.
I did come across that document during my manic searching for whatever it could be, but nothing on there looks the same as mine. That document could come in very handy though so its been bookmarked for future use. I ended up planting the one you gave me well away from the others, in a different patch just in case it is some sort of an infection. I also had a look round for some Epsom salts like you suggested but I couldn't find any. where do you get yours?

 

I got a small tub from Boots the chemist years ago now, but you should be able to get it at a garden centre and or B&Q too.

Steve...

 

You can still get it from the Chemists....

Here's my Pumpkins...My 'Main' one...


and 3 in containers that looked a bit sad but they seem to be coming on

 

I saw the leaf pictures and am actually going out in a bit to get Epsom salts for my cuks and squash and melon. I tried it earlier this season on some beans and got a response - got an actual crop, but my wife then used the MgSO4 on taking a bath..

The cukes will not set fruit properly, the signs of blossom end rot when they just appear - then poor looking leaves, especially the old ones on the margins. I think I have excess Po4 from too much reliance on composted leaves which is messing their ability to take up some metals - or Boron - or anything - and that is a problem I do not know a solution for - adding more mg is not really any solution if uptake is blocked.

Sometimes I think of getting a proper soil testing kit, but a decent one is a bit pricey and is not that reliable anyway. Does anyone test their own soil? I have tried a bit of chemical fertilizer before but it is balanced (10% each N, K, P) so wanting a bit of N because leaf color is not great could make it worse. Once a raised bed gets out of balance it is hard to get it back without a clear-cut analysis. I heavily crop my beds so balance is very hard, especially on the cheap, and naturally.

 

Nice healthy looking plants Lol, and growing well too...

Steve...