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Cincinnati, OH

My mood is very BAD this morning. I believe I am going to lose this battle. One has entered the stump, I slit it open, could not find him, so I sprayed insecticide into the cut and halfass patched it up, probably wont survive. Pictures on my diary. It's been fun in most ways, but it just set me up for the heartbreak. I cannot see myself toughing out this kind of crap next year..Borer Crap that is...it haunts my dreams. lol
Pictures in my diary

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2009&grower=51223&action=L

7/16/2009 7:41:01 AM

Ohio

gotta get some kind of systematic pesticide going through the plant, like Merit, its a must when growing pumpkins I think.
Best to get it down early to prevent them from getting into your vines later. But seeing how you already have them, and If you have merit, Id drench the plant now with it and get it going through your plant. (When the borer eat the plant it dies)

7/16/2009 8:03:02 AM

Cincinnati, OH

I'll try anything at this point. Thanks Brooks. The pictures have not updated on my diary yet, i'm not sure how long that takes. I think the so called "pumpkin expert" down at the farm and garden center recommended an inadequet funguside/insecticide. It only seemed effective to burn my leaves.

7/16/2009 8:14:39 AM

Cincinnati, OH

I have a secondary root system further down the vine and about 5-6 ft from the pumpkin, if worse comes to worse...can I terminate the stump and still have a chance of survival?

7/16/2009 9:01:45 AM

Cincinnati, OH

Good thing I still have my tomatoes, I have mastered those. Look at my diary to see the awesome plants. over 6 ft tall already and still growing. I'll give my secrets to those interested on an individual basis.

7/16/2009 9:33:44 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Good luck Pumkinator. This hobby sure has it's ups and downs. It's the ups that keep us going.

7/16/2009 11:54:10 AM

Cincinnati, OH

Doug..your right, only it's more like a rollercoaster- type "ups and downs"
TODAY IS THE DAY OF RECKONING!! I will be giving loving care to my "Sweetie Pumpkin Pie" today after I cut her open with no anethesia and cleaned out the wound with insecticide (I used that stuff the farm place gave me, I figured if it was less effective in the way it treated them on top, maybe it would be gentle enough to milk into her and "kill 'em softly" while they munch away. I am giving regular interment showers today with breaks of sun..yes...that's WHAT I do for her in hopes to keep her and her newborn alive. The baby has not grown since last night, her mother however managed to "reach her arms out" to me as to reach for help. Her fingers are the only thing rolling out..her "fingernail size" leaves at the end of each tip each producing yet another punky. I pick the punkys away and cleaned her fingernails and spread the tiny leaves and remove the male flower down the vine behind. She gulps the water...she grasp for air..that is all that I can do to keep her alive. The next few hours..consider her in ICU and give her your prayers of hope, she"s in peril of dying yet "hanging on" by her very own "fingernails"

7/16/2009 1:52:54 PM

Cincinnati, OH

I believe it is not the worm that kills these plants first, and not their presence in particular but the prescence of their CRAP! lol

7/16/2009 1:55:43 PM

Ohio

go to Lowe's and buy some Bayer Tree and Shrub (19.00 bucks?)
Drench your plant with it and hope for the best, in the mean time, find all the bores you can, and cut them out.

Did you use anything for prevention this year?,, what insecticides do you have now?,, do you have anything with Bifenthrin in it?,, if worst comes to worst your going have to find them borer in that stump and CUT them out, even if that means only saving 10 % of your stump, its better to have some of the stump then none of it, cause the borer is going to kill it anyway if you dont get it out. Good luck Pumpkinator!

7/16/2009 2:25:37 PM

Ohio

Remember, Cut with the grain of the stump and not across it, find that borer and get it out of there. The cut you make in your stump has a great chance to heal up. Amazing how these plants bounce back. cant stress enough how bad that borer needs to come out of there, get it out, now!,,LOL

7/16/2009 2:31:35 PM

Cincinnati, OH

Ha! Your daggone serious! You don't think my slicing, stabbing and "secticide did the trick? Should I give her this last effort overnite to recover..and if she worsens overnite in the morning go deeper on the hunt for the guy? I sliced it with the grain about 1 1/2 inches..I then used a hooked pin to try first..just alot of feces. Next I used a seam ripper and dug a little both directions. the stump torward the root seemed to stop with the seam ripper inserted.I figured this was start of root. Maybe I should have cut her to that point and visualy inspected. I then felt it must be headed out the vine which I did think would be uncharacteristic. so I reached as far as I could and caught nothing. I then poked several holes from that point forward out from the stump into the vine. She amazingly did not bleed too much. Wait and keep close eye I think eh?

7/16/2009 2:40:43 PM

[email protected]

Like Brooks said cut with the grain of the stump, I've had to do this in the past, and the main stumps do heal over on their own.

Here is the after surgery shot, which is pretty bad looking from two years ago, this pumpkin did finally go down, but it did heal over too.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=69534

And here it is later on. I put a nylon stocking over it so it could still get air, and still keep any additional critters off of it.

You do know what to look for I assume, the little white guys that are very hard to find inside a main stump?

Good luck, and yes this is all part of the growing season, some have vine borers worse than others, I always seem to have them but have learned to use a spray program earlier than ever this year, and it's seemed to help so far. I'm watching one of my plants this year, but I think its due to so much water the plant just split at the main stump. It seems to be doing well now.

7/16/2009 2:51:05 PM

[email protected]

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=69534

Sorry here is the link, after...

7/16/2009 2:51:39 PM

[email protected]

Sorry wrong link, LOL.. If you follow the diary I tell that I used Sevin, Sevin does not touch them either.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=69710

7/16/2009 2:55:11 PM

Cincinnati, OH

She's purking up...showing signs of life....(fingers crossed)

7/16/2009 3:05:58 PM

Cincinnati, OH

Punky has grown 1/8 inch..didn't think i'd get so excited over a GIAnt pumpkin growing so little.

7/16/2009 3:16:53 PM

Cincinnati, OH

Amazing! she must be pulling through! I did not expect it to do so but she's given me another 1/2 inch in growth. I have named her now that i've hit this struggle and I officially now refer to her as Punky. Folks..I cannot tell you how close a call this really was. Even though it's still not over, seeing growth on the pumpkin has to be a great sign. I have additional pictures i've taken that I will eventually post to my diary. Thank goodness for the secondary root system, how valueble it proved to be. It's my belief it kept the fruit alive while the stump is recovering. I will always strive to do so in the future of my pumpkin growing.

7/16/2009 6:08:55 PM

Bloomington, IN

In one of your other posts you said you were spraying the plants with a fruit tree spray containing 11.76% captan (.25% related derivites), 6% malathion and 81% carbarl. I don't know how effective such a product would be against SVB, but even if it is, if the only thing your spraying with it is the leaves it won't work. You have to spray every square centimeter of vine and leaf stalk to control SVB since that is were the eggs are laid and were they bore in. Hope this helps. Brian

7/16/2009 11:41:46 PM

Cincinnati, OH

Thanks.did that. But I need to check into something more potent for SVB in particular. Thanks again. i'll be sure and get every squar inch like you said

7/17/2009 10:03:11 AM