Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
dpforumdog

Mound dying but other end of vine is beautiful

dpforumdog
9 years ago

The leaves and vines at my pumpkin mound bases are wimpy, but as you go go further down the vine it is beautiful with huge leaves and lots of male blooms.

1). Is it normal for the mound area to get wimpy?
2). Could this be why I am not getting only female buds but not female flowers.

Thank

Comments (6)

  • Christian
    9 years ago

    this happens to me too. The leaves at the base get old, start dying, and get more prone to attack by aphids and other pests, but the growing tips of the vines are still growing like crazy. Have you allowed the vines to put roots further down . Pumpkin vines do that a lot and it help them when the base is damaged, they can keep in going.
    It might be that SVB (squash vine borer) have damaged your base?

    Also getting lots of male flowers first is normal. I currently am growing some Cindarella pumpkins... have had lots of male flowers for weeks now but just recently have the females started to appear. What kind of pumpkin plants are we talking about? For varieties such as C. Maxima, it could take a LONG time to get good female flowers.

  • dpforumdog
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I planted several different kinds of pumpkin seeds and then I ended up thinning them and transplanting them, so I have no idea which is which,

    How do you allow the vines to put down roots? Why would you want to prevent the vines from rooting?

    I am so over my head with this, but I am learning. Thanks for helping me.

  • springtogarden
    9 years ago

    Personally, I wouldn't want to prevent my vines from putting roots down. The more roots the better! The only time I mess with my vines, is if I am training them up a trellis or I need to move the vine. If I am moving the vine, I do so very carefully and do it before roots have formed. Once they have roots along the vine, I water in those areas too. Makes for a stronger plant.

  • dpforumdog
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    How do I keep the total vine healthy? My vines look great at the end (newest growth) but always seem to die at the mounds.

  • Chicknpiza
    9 years ago

    I've been having the same problem. I believe it is mostly because of that stupid heat wave (102 degrees). Next time I'll put up a shade cover when it's over 90 degrees. They were beautiful and perfect before that. Then squash bugs came, but the the lady bugs and ants took care of them after a couple weeks. Never the less, 5 weeks later, the entire mound was removed of its original leaves from PM, squash bugs, and possibly blight, all secondary to the sun damage I believe.

    I removed the dying leaves slowly and new growth started taking it's place. I gave the plant a nitrogen boost to stimulate new leaf growth to replace what was removed. I've buried a few vines to make secondary roots, but it's difficult when they are hanging 9 feet overhead (yes, i have a weird garden setup). It seems successful so far (along with copper fungicide to control the PM) and I have 3 new new pumpkins growing. Now back to a low nitrogen fertilizer to stimulate fruit growth (easier to switch it up with container gardening)

    Now the birds are eating the female flowers and i have to brown bag them to hide them. I had one female with the flower part eaten off the day before it was to open. Luckily, the pollination part wasn't touched. That pumpkin is now happily growing.

    It's a love hate relationship. Nom nom nom

  • dpforumdog
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    All my vines slowly died starting at the mound and slowly going to the end of the vine. What is wrong?

Sponsored
HEMAX Construction Services & Landscaping, LLC
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars34 Reviews
Innovative & Creative Landscape Contractors Servicing VA