"Nelly Wensdow" wrote in message
...

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
...
Well the leaves continue to die at the crown although a couple very
deformed ones have managed to survive. What I discovered this morning
was the pot was crawling with tiny black flies. Must have been a hundred
or more. So I hosed it with pyretherin spray and that killed them off
quick. Could this damage be caused by a fly larvae?

Yes, fungus gnats. A thin layer of sand on the soil surface will
discourage flying adults from laying more eggs. Use some kind of Bt next
time you water (a dissolved mosquito dunk will work in a pinch) for longer
term control.

Turns out it was ZYMV - zucchini yellow mosaic virus. Took one of the
affected plants up to a good garden center with real gardeners running it
(not teenage kids) and the guy said it was mosaic virus. He advised dumping
the soil and scrubbing the container.

How serious is this? Is it totally contagious? Is it safe to reuse the
soil with some other non-cucurbit plant?

Paul