Hello everyone. I planted some zucchinis a couple of months ago, they grew well and each plant had 2 big healthy zucchinis. But then the plants started getting sick. I think they got powdery mildew. Right now they look almost dead, and haven't sprouted flowers for three weeks. The stems seem sick and rotting, and the leaves are very dry and white and are being eaten by bugs.
I live in Costa Rica where it rains pretty much everyday and is very humid. We get rain all afternoon, everyday.
So I think it is a combination of weather, powdery mildew, squash borer damage.
I also spotted a bug around the plants today.
Anyone knows how to fix this? Are my plants done? If so, the next time I plant zucchinis how should I prepare?
Before the plants got this sick, I tried using a mix of sodium bicarbonate, dish soap and water to spray the leaves. I did it for a week but didn't seem to kill the powdery mildew.
Here are some pictures:
https://mygardenyote.blogspot.com/2013/0 ... lants.html
Zucchini only last about three months for me too. I live in a humid area too. I usually get about 11 zucchini before it dies. Zucchini should be picked before it gets very big. It really is not edible when it is very big and keeping the zucchini to mature on the vine inhibits production. I usually pick my zucchini when the skin still has a shine to it about 6-8 inches long.
Powdery mildew and spider mites are usually what does my zucchini in. During rainy weather zucchini and cucumbers should be sprayed with a fungicide to prevent the mildew. It is much easier to prevent mildew then cure it. I would pull the plant as it does not look like it will come back. If you plant a zucchini again, plant it in a different location. Fungal spores can persist and spray zucchini with fungicide as a preventive.
You also have stink bugs. They will also suck the life out of the plant. When you cut the zucchini, make sure your tools are clean. I spray mine with alcohol and wipe them first. Some of the branches that were cut look like some rot has set in.
Powdery mildew and spider mites are usually what does my zucchini in. During rainy weather zucchini and cucumbers should be sprayed with a fungicide to prevent the mildew. It is much easier to prevent mildew then cure it. I would pull the plant as it does not look like it will come back. If you plant a zucchini again, plant it in a different location. Fungal spores can persist and spray zucchini with fungicide as a preventive.
You also have stink bugs. They will also suck the life out of the plant. When you cut the zucchini, make sure your tools are clean. I spray mine with alcohol and wipe them first. Some of the branches that were cut look like some rot has set in.
alonsovg wrote:Thank you so much for the quick answer and the tips. I ended up pulling one of the plants, it was dead. Next time I'll try to spray them before the powdery mildew appears.
I can't grow summer squash due to how quickly the squash vine borers take their toll on the plants. I do put a few in every spring just to see if I can get any before they get to the plants and some years I get the first fruit off before the borers take over and kill the plants. This year I didn't harvest a single squash and had to pull all six of my plants due to extensive borer damage.
I'm also having a heck of a time with Assassin Bugs this year. They seem to be everywhere and are ruining my larger tomatoes.
Thank goodness most bugs don't like my hot pepper, cucumber, and okra plants.
The only problem I have with most of my plants are a the slugs and snails eating the seedlings before they get a chance to even flower. If I can get them past the juvenile stage they do pretty well.
I put my kabocha on a trellis and I do have to cover the young squash so they won't get stung, but other than that vine borers thank goodness are not really a problem.
Now that the rainy season is mostly over, if there is rain it is light and dries quickly. I can spray the squash within three days of rain with a fungicide to prevent problems and I am giving them lots of room or putting them on a trellis so they have good air circulation.
I found one kabocha greening up on one of the vines with about 4 or five young green squash coming on.
I usually grow upo (long squash) because it is really productive and it is the squash that pretty much everyone knows how to cook here. it has a soft skin so it is easy to peel and cut into.
This year I am also growing some Waltham's butternut. I like the taste of butternut, but it is a hard nut to break into. At least with the kabocha, Ido have to muscle through cutting the squash into pieces but at least I don't have to peel it.
I grew butterbush before. It produced only about 3 squashes per vine. It was ok, but I read that the regular butternut was better so I am trying it out. Hopefully I will get some.
I have one zucchini and a couple of early crooknecks. I actually like the crooknecks better.
I put my kabocha on a trellis and I do have to cover the young squash so they won't get stung, but other than that vine borers thank goodness are not really a problem.
Now that the rainy season is mostly over, if there is rain it is light and dries quickly. I can spray the squash within three days of rain with a fungicide to prevent problems and I am giving them lots of room or putting them on a trellis so they have good air circulation.
I found one kabocha greening up on one of the vines with about 4 or five young green squash coming on.
I usually grow upo (long squash) because it is really productive and it is the squash that pretty much everyone knows how to cook here. it has a soft skin so it is easy to peel and cut into.
This year I am also growing some Waltham's butternut. I like the taste of butternut, but it is a hard nut to break into. At least with the kabocha, Ido have to muscle through cutting the squash into pieces but at least I don't have to peel it.
I grew butterbush before. It produced only about 3 squashes per vine. It was ok, but I read that the regular butternut was better so I am trying it out. Hopefully I will get some.
I have one zucchini and a couple of early crooknecks. I actually like the crooknecks better.
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applestar
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Are you saying you don't have SVB problems there or that kabocha doesn't get them? Kabocha is a C. maxima species right?I put my kabocha on a trellis and I do have to cover the young squash so they won't get stung, but other than that vine borers thank goodness are not really a problem.
Tromboncino (it has another (Italian) name -- "something" rapicante, I think) is a winter squash that can be eaten immature as summer squash. in fact I liked them better as immature squash. It's a C. moschatas species with solid stems so less susceptible to SVB's though they still get them.
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rainbowgardener
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RE I'm also having a heck of a time with Assassin Bugs this year. They seem to be everywhere and are ruining my larger tomatoes.
I thought assassin bugs were pretty much all insect eaters and good to have in your garden? Especially in the nymph stage, they look a lot like leaf footed bugs. And to me, since I don't like to get up close and personal with them, all those brownish bugs (eg stinkbug, squash bug) look pretty much alike.
Last year, I had (probably) stinkbugs marking my tomatoes.
I thought assassin bugs were pretty much all insect eaters and good to have in your garden? Especially in the nymph stage, they look a lot like leaf footed bugs. And to me, since I don't like to get up close and personal with them, all those brownish bugs (eg stinkbug, squash bug) look pretty much alike.
Last year, I had (probably) stinkbugs marking my tomatoes.