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Indiana

I have had 4 good sized pumpkins rot in the past two years with no apparent external dammage, is there some sort of desease that would cause this?? or is it normal to have some go down for no good reason??
Steve

11/21/2004 7:44:32 PM

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Steve,

I sometimes see Fusarium or Alternaria fruit rots here. There are others.

Here is a list of possibilties:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/cucurbit/indexfruit.html

11/21/2004 8:32:52 PM

Indiana

Wouldn't that affect all of the fruit? I have had several sound fruit and a couple mouse problems.

11/21/2004 9:13:47 PM

Ohio

Moon, I thought mine rotted like yours did also, till someone asked me if i has any small cracks around the stem, and I did, Only takes a little pin hole of air to get inside the cavity to make it rot.Once the air hits it, its toast,forget trying to save it.

Brooks

11/21/2004 10:34:55 PM

San Luis Obispo Ca

Internal elfs at work.

11/25/2004 11:14:57 AM

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The causal pathogens are always present to some extent. A split or scratch in the skin is a breach of the fruits first line of defense. Like a cut in our own skin. Excessive overhead irrigation or rain can greatly increase the splashing of soil borne fruit rot pathogens. But there are other means of disease communication. A Squirrel running through the patch is bound to have dirt on his feet. If he then scratches the fruit we haven't much time to discover the breach & treat it *IF* a disease pathogen was present & the conditions that favor development are present.

11/25/2004 12:58:03 PM