[landgirl]

I have a problem with my atlantic giant pumpkins.  They were doing really well and I have some nice big pumkins on the way.  A few have rotted and I have taken them off, this was due to the  4 weeks of heavy rain we have recently had, I think?  The problem is that now I have a grey mouldly dusty covering on a lot of the leaves, any ideas what it is and what I should do. 

[Salmo]

The grey covering is powdery mildew and eventually invades all pumpkin/squash/ courgette leaves at this time of year. These leaves are no longer functional and the pumpkins will stop growing.  I would cut the pumpkins.  Cut the plant stem either side of the stalk. This lessens the risk of infection entering via the stem and also gives a handle. You can leave them on the plot to ripen but beware any frost.

[landgirl]

Thanks for that, thats not good news though we were trying to grow huge ones, they apparently grow to about 4 ft max.   What can I do to stop this happening next year.  Any suggestions.

[Pompey Spud]

Put it on a pallet for air to circulate and not to sit on damp soil.

[Tattyanne456]

I read somewhere that if you spray the leaves with diluted milk it keeps the mildew at bay. I tried it this year and I think it definitely helped! I had courgette plants that where attacked, I sprayed weekly with diluted skimmed milk, gave  a good feed, and the plants ressurected and provided a few more courgettes. I also sprayed the squash plants on the allotment and they certainly seemed to fend off the powdery mildew giving a few more weeks of good growth, when other plants on neighbouring plots gave up and died. I want to re-itterate it only stops the mildew getting a good hold, it is not a cure.

[landgirl]

Tattyanne, I will give that a go, the pumpkins are still forming and look pretty healthy, I cut a lot of the more mouldy one off at the week end and it look better if nothing else, I would like too try and keep some of the pumpkins going so it is worth a try.