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These leaves aren't sun scorched though there are a few growers around here who are dealing with this problem.

And it isn't a nutrient deficiency though with the recent rains here in CT, these won't be hard to find in the days ahead.

Rather for the third year in a row, the leaves that formed since June 22nd are wrinkled, angular & smaller than the rest. The vine is growing at the same rate as the prior week. Sounds like a Mosaic Virus right?

For the first 2 years we were NOT able to rule out a 2,4-D incident. So the blame rested there while experienced growers & a degreed pathologist all watched in awe as the plants eventually recovered & began producing normal leaves again. The fruits never did anything, but the plants more or less recovered.

This year I'm seeing the same condition on OTHER non-cucurbita species. My wifes perennials are doing it now. Some Daisy cultivars have single stalks that are so twisted & curly they look just like a phenoxy herbicide hit them. But every other leaf & stalk is normal.

She also has the same condition on a couple Dahlias & some weird semi-tropical hanging basket plant.

I'm already searching for a better Pathology lab. Hopefully one that specializes in viruses. But has anyone here ever seen anything like this? I'll try to get some pictures up as time permits.

6/29/2005 9:52:16 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Steve, do you live near a nuclear power plant? I'm thinkin' radiation leak. . . ;)

6/29/2005 11:38:51 PM

Mocksville, NC

Sounds like someone with a summer cold, or flu. could be a virus. And the wierd leaves are at the stage the plant is building antibodies against it. Or enviromental factors, smog, acid rain?

6/30/2005 12:22:11 AM

Ontario, Canada.

If it is not cuased by a Virus then the heat filled, hot hazy days must be giving rise to air Pollution injury such as high ground level Ozone damage. The effects of this are felt in very wide area around the US AND ONTARIO. Much has been written in print about the topic in the last two weeks.

Steve, I travelled to many different patches yesterday and saw the same damage you talked about.

6/30/2005 12:53:07 AM

Midwest

Yep. My first plant, (Beachy-Pukos), the first five or six leaf edges showed shrivel on the left side only. Looked just like catepillar eating the left edges to the middle vein and curving into the stem. Same thing on six leaves. This past week I watered deeply around the stump (Thurs and Sunday). Amazing what that water did. New growth lookin normal w/no shriveled edge. If it's happening to many, is there some common denominator? Ammedments are: alot of ammonium nitrate, triple phosphate, osmocote, mushroom compost, peat in the soil and layered it in. And, two-three weeks ago I applied 20-20-20 2 times over 10 days. The first leaves are still there but the edges are burnt, middle is still green but has holes. Don't know what to make of this? Steve, your comment: "The fruits never did anything, but the plants more or less recoverd." There must be some possiblity that the fruit will still get big?

6/30/2005 1:15:57 AM

Deer Park WA

Do you use any chemical fertilizers/fungicides/pest deterants around your patch?

6/30/2005 2:09:09 AM

[email protected]

Gads,

Heritage at .7 gms/gal & Talstar at .25 oz/gal on different days 3 & 5 days prior respectively. No other inputs within the prior week.

The first plant on my property to exhibit the symptoms (that I noticed) was a potted plant hanging from the eaves facing west. I likened this only to the extreme heat early last week since the area most affected was that on the sunniest side.

Interestingly, the affected Dahlias are adjacent structures which block a portion of the days sun but all face different directions (east, south & west).

The leaf edges of the 845 are no different than the rest of the leaves. It is the entire leaf that appears affected & only those that appeared during the heat wave (which were many).

It may be ozone damage. I'll need to check the air quality records. But when the exact same symptoms present themselves the same way for a third year in a row on the same GDD one has to expect the pattern means something.

Other growers plants that are within several miles of here are NOT exhibiting this symptom at all. So the sun theory is very hard to accept.

6/30/2005 5:29:01 AM

New Salisbury IN

Steve look at your EC And water test water only thing used on all plants

6/30/2005 1:06:11 PM