applemum
Newly Registered
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2016 10:34 am

baby zuchinis rotting

I thought at first it was because of poor pollination but then some of the zuchinis got big enough it couldn't be that, I cut away some leaves incase it was poor air circulation but that didn't seem to help.
Does anyone know why the zuchinis would rot from the end like this? How to prevent it?

thanks for the help! :)
Attachments
zuchini rot.JPG
zuchini rot 2.JPG

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

BER -- Blossom End Rot -- on zucchini, like on tomatoes, could be nutrient uptake issue, but I noted here in my garden thread that my zukes started BER in the end-stage of SVB (squash vine borer) infestation just before collapse. I think I see an infested vine in your 2nd photo. Take a look at some of my photos and compare. I have some posts about the zukes before and after this post as well.

Subject: Applestar's 2016 Garden
applestar wrote:This morning, one of the three Butta zucchini plant is doing this: BER on the medium sized fruit and female blossoms not developing and browning

Image

This is the 2nd plant of the three to be doing this and the first one has dramatically stopped growing and is failing to develop fruits even though it was loaded with female flower buds just a little while ago. I think these are likely to be more signs of the SVB induced decline. The other two that I took out were doing this a week ago.

I might just harvest the femal flower buds as baby zukes tomorrow and take out all three lush green-looking living dead plants. At least I could then use majority of the plant matter as compost ingredients -- I just have to inspect, extract the SVB's, bag and discard damaged parts just in case I missed any.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

I agree. I also see this with Squashbug infestations, but end stage SVB damage definitely makes quick work of them. I get SVB damage almost as soon as the plants bear flowers. I've noticed that they do better, and produce more fruits when they are regularly and heavily watered once they are infested withSVB.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Oh yeah. When you click on the 2nd picture to enlarge it, it turns itself right side up. At that point right on the bottom edge in the center is clearly a stem showing the ravages of the Squash Vine Borer.

Worst pest in the garden! The larvae chew their way around the inside of the stem, destroying the circulation channels that bring water and nutrients up from the roots to the rest of the plant. Giving it lots of extra water helps counteract that for awhile, but in my experience the plant is a goner at that point, no matter what you do. :(

Type SVB into the search box at top left and find tons already written here about them!

applemum
Newly Registered
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2016 10:34 am

Ok so I will look up what svb look like. Thanks :)

User avatar
KitchenGardener
Senior Member
Posts: 274
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:30 pm
Location: Northern California; Hardiness Zone 10a, Climate zone: 17

Hmm, I can't see a thing but then again, I have no experience with SVBs since we don't seem to have them here, lucky us.

But really, you all have sharp eyes!



Return to “Vegetable Gardening Forum”