Pumpkin is considered one of the healthiest vegetables that gardeners grow in their gardens, but it is not always possible to grow a good harvest. Why do pumpkin leaves turn yellow and how to deal with this problem? In general, pumpkin is an unpretentious agricultural crop that is rich in vitamins and microelements beneficial to the human body.
Why might pumpkin leaves turn yellow?
Yellow leaves on a pumpkin do not always indicate that a disease has appeared on the crop. In some cases, this indicates that the plant is not being properly cared for or is lacking nutrients.
The leaves begin to turn yellow if the heat gives way to a sharp cold snap. For plants, such a sharp temperature change is stressful. Prolonged heat or prolonged cold weather also causes foliage to dry out. At low temperatures, the leaves freeze and turn yellow. During drought, the foliage on the pumpkin begins to dry out from burns caused by bright sunlight. Bushes get burned due to improper watering.
When the foliage turns yellow, it indicates that the pumpkin is lacking micronutrients. Primarily nitrogen, magnesium, potassium or other substances. You can minimize the damage if you take the time to care for the pumpkin.
Pests and diseases of pumpkin
If the leaves of a pumpkin have turned yellow and dried out, then the reasons for such negative changes are the appearance of pests and diseases on the bushes. To avoid these problems, you should regularly inspect your pumpkin for damage. Preventing diseases and the appearance of harmful insects is much easier than treating affected bushes. The appearance of diseases can easily be anticipated by certain external signs that immediately catch the eye.
- Root rot (the disease occurs when the weather for growing pumpkin is unfavorable for a long time. Root rot is also promoted by soil that is not properly prepared for planting seeds. A characteristic sign is the thinning of the stem. Then the leaves begin to dry. In an advanced stage, it is impossible to save the plant).
- Powdery mildew (when growing crops in open ground, pumpkin is often affected by powdery mildew. The first sign of damage is a white coating that appears on the foliage. Under the coating, you can notice that the leaves turn yellow. Powdery mildew is caused by temperature changes).
- Chlorosis (the main signs of chlorosis are yellowing of pumpkin leaves and their uncharacteristic thickening. The disease occurs from a lack of nutrients in the soil, especially sulfur and potassium).
- Anthracnose (symptoms of the disease are yellowing of the leaves and their falling off. The bush begins to die after the disease reaches the base of the stem near the root. The cause of occurrence is frequent precipitation during the growing season and fruiting period.).
- Spider mites (it is difficult to recognize the beginning of the appearance of spider mites on bushes due to their small size and the absence of signs of damage in the initial stages. After some time, the leaves become speckled and gradually dry out).
- Melon aphid (the aphid forms its colonies on the lower stems and leaves of the pumpkin. The pest mainly affects shoots and inflorescences. The first sign of the appearance of aphids is a sharp fall of the inflorescences and curling of the leaves).
- Sprout fly (the larvae of this insect enter the stem and feed on their pulp. The larvae interfere with the normal development of the root system, which is why the plants in the garden quickly die).
Proper care and timely application of mineral and organic fertilizers will help avoid the appearance of these diseases on the pumpkin.
What to do if the leaves turn yellow?
In order for the bushes to stop drying out, a number of measures need to be taken. It is also important to choose the right time to plant seeds in the soil to reduce the risk of disease.
Favorable weather conditions for planting:
- Sunny weather without long rains.
- The soil should not be waterlogged.
- Before planting planting material in the soil, all weeds must be removed from the site.
Cold and rainy weather leads to the development of fungal diseases in the pumpkin area. And the presence of weeds in the beds contributes to the appearance of harmful insects.
The planting season begins after warm weather has settled and the threat of night frosts has long passed. To prevent the appearance of yellowed leaves on the pumpkin, you should not overwater the beds. If the soil does not dry out well, reduce the amount of watering.
To prevent the appearance of insects, you need to choose pumpkin varieties that indicate that the variety is immune to them. In addition, to prevent insects, the soil is dug up several times before harvesting and fertilizers are applied.
To prevent the appearance of insects, it is important to adhere to the following growing rules:
- Compliance with crop rotation (every year the place where the crop is planted needs to be changed; you can plant a pumpkin in the old place no earlier than after 2 years).
- After harvesting, no plants or residues from them should remain on the site, especially if they were sick.
- Spray the bushes with special disinfectants.
Using herbicides when the pumpkin is drying out is not always effective.
What to do to get rid of spider mites:
- An infusion of garlic and onion peels helps to quickly get rid of spider mites and the damage they cause. Pour 250 g of dried husks with boiling water (1 liter). Leave for 5–6 hours. Before watering the beds, dilute the infusion with warm water. Spray the bushes with the resulting infusion. The optimal time for spraying is in the evening after sunset. This will prevent the leaves from getting burned.
To remove melon aphids:
- In order to get rid of melon aphids in the beds, you need to use wood ash.Dilute 250 g of wood ash in 10 liters of warm water. Then add 75 g of soap shavings or liquid soap. Spray the beds in the evening after sunset. If it rains shortly after spraying, then after a while the treatment is repeated. Spraying continues until signs of leaf damage are eliminated.
You can get rid of slugs on your site by loosening the soil around the beds. An effective way would be to dust the bushes with ash, tobacco dust or ground pepper. These same recipes also help with diseases of melons and melons.
When the pumpkin is severely affected, traditional methods may not help and then you have to resort to herbicides. But remember that chemicals must be used with caution. And do not use the culture for food for several weeks.
