Not a good day (or couple of days) to be a pumpkin. My nemesis has returned. The mildew stuff seemed to have abated for a while, but now it's back and creeping up the healthy leaves. As for the 'not so healthy' leaves, they sort of curled up and turned brown. The pumpkins also looked kind of sad today; blown off to the side by the wind and just tired...It has been too hot and dry for them. Fluffy moved over to help A out-just making sure A doesn't blow away any further, and they both got several extra waterings today.
As for the mildew, I had to step up my game. The first garden store said there was nothing to be done; the Internet said there was a lot to be done (including chemicals that have names as long as some of the things found in shampoo ingredients); and everyone agrees the only sure fire way to get rid of it is pull the plants out (NO!). I have moved away from my attempts at home remedies (milk, peroxide, baking soda), and have opted to try a second garden store.
They directed me to some kind of copper/soap spray that is similar to the stuff that is put in ponds to help keep algae and other problems at bay. [side note: remember that car commercial with the guy sitting in a lawn chair next to his car in the front yard cleaning the wheels? Some other guy is standing there watching the soapy stuff drip off the wheels and says "you just spray it on?" And the guy in the lawn chair says, "yup, you just spray it on..." Well, anyhow, it seemed to work in the commercial] So, this is something that you are supposed to just spray on. In theory, it will stop the mildew. The reason I have opted to take this measure is that the most mildewy area is where the tiny girl flowers are starting (only way to get pumpkins is girl flowers). And the pumpkin envy: when I pulled up the the garden store, they had racks of big perfect pumpkins sitting out front for $2.99 taunting me! Damn them!
As for the mildew, I had to step up my game. The first garden store said there was nothing to be done; the Internet said there was a lot to be done (including chemicals that have names as long as some of the things found in shampoo ingredients); and everyone agrees the only sure fire way to get rid of it is pull the plants out (NO!). I have moved away from my attempts at home remedies (milk, peroxide, baking soda), and have opted to try a second garden store. 
They directed me to some kind of copper/soap spray that is similar to the stuff that is put in ponds to help keep algae and other problems at bay. [side note: remember that car commercial with the guy sitting in a lawn chair next to his car in the front yard cleaning the wheels? Some other guy is standing there watching the soapy stuff drip off the wheels and says "you just spray it on?" And the guy in the lawn chair says, "yup, you just spray it on..." Well, anyhow, it seemed to work in the commercial] So, this is something that you are supposed to just spray on. In theory, it will stop the mildew. The reason I have opted to take this measure is that the most mildewy area is where the tiny girl flowers are starting (only way to get pumpkins is girl flowers). And the pumpkin envy: when I pulled up the the garden store, they had racks of big perfect pumpkins sitting out front for $2.99 taunting me! Damn them!
Maybe you should visit a pumpkin patch and see what they do for their pumpkins.
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