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Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

Hi all, I put three pics in my diary of some leaf issues I am having. (Diary "LB")I originally posted this under the pest and other problems board but didn't get any response, can someone take a look, please?
- There are no bugs of any kind in the patch, no signs of any borer activity, aphids, cuke beatles etcetera.
- plants are growing vigoursly, pumpkins that have set are growing awesome, and there is no wilting of leaves at all.
- I applied an ornithological fertilizer on Monday plus the calcium nitrate, both were applied carefully along the vines, not on leaves. The fertilizer is 4-16-8 and dusty.
I "think" this is a burn from that fertilizer, it was windy but I tried to be super careful applying it. It was dry for the following two days. Day two after application I noticed the leaves had black speckles and super dark in color where you see the brown in these pics now. Day three we received 2" of rain- and the leaves returned to normal.
They get a bayer drench systemic once every 4 weeks, sprayed weekly with a neem/chlorosel/ortho combo rotated with neem/daconil/bayer. Unless it rains, then I spray after rain. I haven't changed their spray at all, and I always spray at dusk so there is no sunburn effect as neem is an oil.
When should I remove these leaves? Even as bad as they look they are upright and no wilting occurring.
No evidence of PM, virus, SBW, or ALF in the patch either.
Any ideas???

6/22/2013 6:18:34 AM

Connecticut

Hi LB-

To me it looks like you have classic symptoms of spray damage.

What is causing the exact problem is harder to figure out but it could be neem oil burn if you have been having warm temperatures with-in 2-3 days from the application date.

I would leave the leaves as a reminder to watch what you spray;-) Do not love your plants to death, when you spray anything on your plants make the applications with a purpose so you do not over do it to ward off "everything".

6/22/2013 8:38:08 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Neem oil will easily burn pumpkin leaves

6/22/2013 8:49:10 AM

Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

Thanks to you both for replying. Where I am it is very hot, very humid, and it rains just enough every few days to promote PM and Blight with a vengence. I managed last year to ward off both in the field pumpkins I grew, while the farmers around me lost almost everything.....so I'm a tad jumpy. I looked back through my records and realized I had added an extra ounce of neem last time I sprayed as we had a severe wet period, prior to this I haven't had any trouble with spray damage...so lesson learned, stop loving them to death. LOL. I've been a pumpkin freak all my life, this is my first year getting to play with the big guys. Ive always grown howdens, luminas, and warlocks for selling purposes, but these are MINE ALL MINE. :}:}

6/22/2013 12:39:41 PM

West Paris Me.

Shannon, will neem only burn the first day if you put it on during the day, Or will the residue cause burning if you get some really hot weather?

6/23/2013 11:39:06 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I don't think it is a burn from the sun but a chemical burn. I know we use to reduce the dosage by half when we were organic for the pumpkins

6/23/2013 11:57:35 AM