I was just weeding in my vegetable beds, and I think the pumpkin plant may be dying. It's humongous, nearly took over the other bed, and has a serious presence in our neighbor's yard. It seems, though, that the central root area, where I first planted it, is dying. More specifically, it looks like something's been gnawing around the cord-like stems. But, the other parts, which have began to root into the ground, look okay. It's just near the main root system that it seems to be dying off. There are no leaves in this area, they've all been outsourced to my neighbor's yard.
I wonder if the root system has to compete too much with the foliage that covers the fence. There's a lot of bamboo. Also, the other plants look wonderful, even the tomato plant I sort of mangled transplanting it from the container. I hope this isn't some slow spreading disease. Or, does anyone know how tolerant pumpkin plants are to wet and rather humid climates? It's been really wet all summer.
If anything, we'll have to just buy the pumpkins for Halloween, but we loved her jack'o'lanterns last year and hoped to repeat it this year. Otherwise, I would never have bought the plant. Any ideas?
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As far as I know, pumpkin plants do NOT like wet soil. If you've had a very damp year (as, uh, you have) then that could be bad.
Bamboo is also a complete diva and will take over EVERYTHING.....I'm serious, you might as well just tear down your house, because bamboo will start coming up in the living room. You think I'm kidding.
I'm in a different part of the US, but I have noticed TONS of squash bugs this year (which can, of course, also affect pumpkins). They are terrible; I have never had problems with them before, but they are just decimating my zucchini and squash plants. I would say the combo of the wet soil and perhaps worse bugs this year than usual are your problems.
With all the water and debris in your city, I'm sure there are a lot more icky bugs than usual. It's probably just a weird year all around in Iowa.
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