Hello Hiveians
After paying keen eyes to the daily growth and development of my fluted pumpkin, I noticed an a different in the leaves pointing to a fact that it seems we are having some infected leaves.
Having this kind of leaf infection is of great disadvantages
Firstly because from an infection the leaves could dry off after folding, these leads to the death of the whole pumpkin plant
Infections like this causes growing seeds wither off.
Two weeks ago I counted the number of growing seed pods and had up to 20 but only one survived and is growing well, the rest withered off 😢😢😢😢.
I have to investigate and arrest this infection else the whole pumpkin plant is at risk of dying off.
Meanwhile I have witnessed significant growth in the seeds and 3months plus now, I had the pictures taking yesterday to compare with the previous pictures and the growth level.
At the stage the seed pods begins to form inside with flat tiny growing seeds.
This big seed pods can grow bigger and carry up to 70 seeds per at once.
Next planting season, one can think of expanding the garden into a bigger farm due to availability seeds if one doesn't want to sell.
The joy of every farmer is to watch healthy growing plant grow to stage of producing seeds for next harvest which is just how I feel tight now.
Investigating leaf infection
Ever since I grew up in the farm with my late mum planting and growing healthy plants and fluted pumpkin especially I have witnessed this kind of leave infectiom but at the time I was so young and can't remember what it is called or the chemical used to treat this.
Comparing heathy leaves we can see how open the leaves are while the infected ones are getting wrinkled from which they could get dried and withered.
Traditional I have seen people spread wood ash on leaves like this either to cure or prevent infection I really don't understand, although this works for insect infestation.
The ashes keeps off insect from laying on the leaves.
As for this I may have to visit an Agro mall with some of the leaves and ask for chemicals that can be used to treat this.
sample of seeds that are getting withered.
Should in case we have an experienced gardener in this field am in need of assistance concerning this if you have experienced this kind of infection while growing pumpkin.