Water Pumpkins and Avoid Powdery Mildew
Learn how to water pumpkins and best practices to prevent mildew from colonizing your vegetable garden. Squash is in my top five favorite vegetables and that's because it's both a noun and a verb. You can squash a pumpkin, but you can't squash a tomato. Beyond my logophile feelings about the vegetable, squash is one of the most versatile vegetables out there. There are many ways to enjoy and store winter and summer squash. I love coming up with new recipe ideas using different types of squash. But before you cook it, you have to grow it! Learning how to water squash plants is an essential first step on your path to delicious soups and fluffy noodles.
Why should you learn how to water squash? Two words. Powdery mildew. Even the name intrigues me. Using improper watering techniques can increase the risk of powdery mildew on pumpkin plants (and other vegetables). Good luck getting rid of it. Once powdery mildew takes hold of your garden, it takes a lot of time, effort, and even chemicals to get it back. And tears. There may be tears. But there are steps you can take to avoid this powdery mildew rule. By adjusting your watering timing, and pattern, and using other prevention strategies, you can eliminate powdery mildew (see what I did there?).
Best time to water squash
Figuring out the best time of day to water your squash doesn't require rocket science. The guideline is simple: don't water the squash in the evening. This is actually the best advice for watering your vegetable garden. If you water squash plants at night, the leaves will stay wet overnight, creating the perfect environment for powdery mildew to grow. Ever find a month-old gym bag filled with dirty gym clothes in your trunk? Am I the only one? The same principle applies to gardening. Keep moist and away from the dark. Instead, watering squash plants in the morning will give them plenty of time to dry out throughout the day.
How to water squash
Avoid watering the leaves. Focus your watering efforts on the base of your squash plants, near the ground. Use a soaker hose or other drip irrigation system that does not rely on overhead irrigation. Keeping the leaves dry helps prevent the spread of powdery mildew. Watering close to the base of the plant prevents any powdery mildew spores from splashing onto the pumpkin plants.
If you see something, do something!
If you notice the appearance of powdery mildew on your squash plants (white or gray powdery spots), don't panic! When you catch it early, you can cut off the affected parts and throw them away. Do not compost these clippings as the spores will spread and infect your compost pile. Also, disinfect your gardening tools before and after to avoid contaminating other plants with powdery mildew spores. A simple water bleach spray can be used for this.
Prevention is key
Learning how to water your pumpkins effectively is one way to increase powdery mildew resistance, but there are other options! Here are some additional strategies to prevent powdery mildew from ruining your squash recipe plans.
Plant squash varieties that are resistant to powdery mildew. "Diva" cucumber, "Sunray" yellow squash, and "Wildcat" zucchini varieties all boast resistance to powdery mildew.
Plant squash with full sun exposure. Powdery mildew spores hate direct sunlight.
Use a deterrent spray made from milk, water, a few teaspoons of baking soda, and a drop or two of liquid dish soap. The general ratio is nine parts water to one part milk. Spray the tops and bottoms of squash plants every seven to ten days. As with watering, spray the pumpkin in the morning so it has enough time to dry before evening
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