Hard squash and pumpkin planting is wrapping up. Summer squash and cucumbers are being harvested. Some pollination issues were observed in zucchini and summer squash in southwest Michigan last week.
Stay on the lookout for cucurbit downy mildew. Consider starting protectant fungicides on cucumbers, pickles and melons. It was detected on cucumbers in Kent County, Ontario, on July 4, 2023.
Striped cucumber beetle pressure has been extreme in some cucurbit plantings.
MSU Extension
The Michigan State University Vegetable Pathology Lab reports cucurbit disease outbreaks and control measures for these pathogens. County Extension Agents from across the state of Michigan publish bi-weekly crop updates including disease incidents and control measures throughout the growing season.
Phytophthora capsici in irrigation water
CucCAP vegetable pathologist Dr. Mary Hausbeck discusses how Phytophthora capsici can be introduced to crops when irrigating vegetables with surface water during dry conditions.
Michigan Cucurbit update | June 21, 2023
Clade 2 downy mildew infects cucumbers and melons and spores from this subtype were trapped in Bay, Allegan and Saginaw counties last week.
Michigan cucurbit update | June 7, 2023
Cucurbit planting continues across lower Michigan. Pumpkins and hard squash plantings are starting up this week for fall markets. Early cucumber plantings are at first flower this week, and some farms may be harvesting zucchini soon. The early summer squash plants in southwest Michigan jumped with the heat last week.
Michigan Cucurbit update | May 2023
Michigan Extension Specialists publish the Michigan Vegetable Crop Report weekly during the growing season. The weekly report includes news about current growing conditions, cucurbit crops and pests from across the state.
Great Lakes Expo 2022 session handouts
Cucurbit downy mildew infects cucumber, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, zucchini, gourd, summer and winter squash and pumpkin. Powdery mildew is best managed with an integrated program including both management tools (resistant varieties and fungicides) that is based on efficacy results from research.
Michigan Cucurbit update | August 31, 2022
Fungicides listed in the Midwest Vegetable Guide can be used to slow down Plectosporium blight in pumpkins.
Michigan vegetable report | August 2022
Powdery mildew was reported on pumpkins and hard squash across the state. Downy mildew spores have been detected in all spore traps in the state’s network.