Watermelon: Is This Disease or a Nutritional Problem?

[SewingDiva]

This is Moon & Stars. We've never grown watermelon before, and overall they have done really really well up to this point. This started at the base of the vine, and seems to be spreading outward. Not every tendril is affected however, and the plant has still set fruit. There are three good size watermelons (15-20 lbs maybe?) on this one and they are still growing

The weather has been very rainy this year, but not humid until just this week. Last year we had peppers and basil in this bed of that helps. This bed was enriched with compost and composted manure when the seedlings went it.

We also have a Charleston Grey watermelon in this bed and it doesn't seem to be afflicted.

Any ides what this may be?
:/
~Phyllis

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

It looks like powdery mildew. Here is a post about the topic

It should be controlled relatively easy. Even though the conditions haven't been humid the disease is contracted when soil splashes onto the plant which tends to happen easily during rainy weather or watering from above.

Moons and Stars is a great variety, btw!

Good luck!