Most Common Pumpkin Pests & Diseases
You have problems with pumpkin plant diseases and pests in your garden and want to get easy and quick relief for your plants?
Stick with me since I will show you how to get rid of pumpkin pests and plant diseases in the following chapters!
Pumpkin Pests
| Pest | How to control it |
|---|---|
| Snails and slugs | Snails and slugs are quite common when growing pumpkins. Thus, make sure to get some information on how to control snails and slugs in your garden. |
| Armyworms | Armyworms may also do great damage to pumpkin plants. You can control armyworms using diatomite or insecticidal soap. |
| Aphids | Aphids can also be quite annoying when growing pumpkins at home. Fortunately, there are simple ways how to get rid of aphids on garden plants. |
| Vine borers | Vine borers may also do significant damage to pumpkin plants. You can control them using insecticidal soap or neem oil. |
| Squash Bugs | Squash bugs also often try to feed on pumpkins. You can get rid of them using pesticides or insecticidal soap from the garden center. |
| Loopers | Loopers are also common companions when growing pumpkins. Hence, also get some information on how to get rid of loopers. |
| Caterpillars | Similar to loopers, caterpillars can also do damage to pumpkin plants. Thus, also get some tips and tricks on how to control caterpillars in your garden. |
| Flea beetles | Flea beetles may also populate pumpkin plants. You can get rid of them using insecticidal soap, neem oil or pesticides. |
| Thrips | Thrips are also quite annoying when it comes to growing pumpkins. Thus, inform yourself on how to get rid of thrips on garden plants. |
| Cutworms | Cutworms can also do great damage to pumpkin plants. Hence, make sure to also get some information on how to get rid of cutworms. |
Pumpkin Diseases
| Disease | How to control it |
|---|---|
| Plant mold | Mold is quite common on pumpkin plants. Hence, make sure to get tips on how to get rid of plant mold. |
| Rust | Rust may be another issue you have to deal with when growing pumpkins at home. Thus, also get some information on how to get rid of plant rust. |
| Bacterial blight | Blight is another common problem on pumpkin plants. Hence, also inform yourself on how to control bacterial blight in your garden. |
| Leaf spot | Leaf spot may be another problem on pumpkin plants. Thus, also get some information on how to control leaf spot. |
| Damping-off | Damping-off of pumpkin seedlings often happens when germination conditions are not perfect. Hence, make sure to improve soil and lighting conditions as best as possible to prevent damping-off. |
| Downy mildew | You can treat downy mildew by using fungicides from the garden center or from an online vendor. |
| Fusarium rot | Fusarium rot is a serious plant disease. Once you see signs of this disease on pumpkin plants, you should dispose of those plants as soon as possible to avoid the spread of fusarium rot in your garden. |
| Powdery mildew | Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that can do significant damage to pumpkin plants. Hence, make sure to also inform yourself on how to control powdery mildew. |
| Stem blight | Stem blight may also become a problem for pumpkin plants. You can get rid of stem blight using fungicides. |
| Verticillium wilt | Once your plants suffer from verticillium wilt, there is no effective treatment. Just get rid of infested plants to avoid the spread of this disease in your garden. |
| Mosaic virus | Mosaic is a viral disease. Once it is present on pumpkin plants, it is too late and you should get rid of infested plants as soon as possible to avoid the spread of mosaic virus in your garden. |
| Aster yellows | Aster yellows is also pretty difficult to treat. Once it has infested pumpkin plants, you should just get rid of those plants to avoid the further spread of aster yellows in your garden. |
Pumpkin Pests & Diseases – Summary List
| Pests | Diseases |
|---|---|
| Cutworms | Plant rust |
| Slugs | Mold |
| Thrips | Damping-off |
| Aphids | Fusarium rot |
| Armyworms | Mosaic virus |
| Horn borers | Verticillium wilt |
| Flea beetles | Stem blight |
| Caterpillars | Powdery mildew |
| Loopers | Downy mildew |
| Squash bugs | Leaf spot |
| Aster yellows | |
| Blight |
How to deal with Pumpkin Pests & Diseases?
Now that you got all the information you need to control pumpkin pests and diseases in a proper manner, you may also want to have a look at my growing pumpkin FAQ section and my pumpkin grower’s guide to get further information on how to grow pumpkins at home in a proper manner.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin
Own experience.
