Hi, new poster here and new gardener.. I have some Pattypan Squash that is about 16" to 18" tall and I am noticing that while the whole thing is green, luscious and vibrant, the stems are bending over and some of the stalk has splits near the bottom. It's like something is squeezing them, like a runner band or something.
Any ideas?
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
-
- Cool Member
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 8:29 pm
- Location: Southern California, Zone 10a/10b
Here's a pic of the bottom of the stalk.. you can see the pinching going on..
https://goo.gl/photos/89HPrZyQ5q9fXvQ5A
Here's more of the pinching
https://goo.gl/photos/kxyhnCh9jEWGa9ty6
Directly below the flower in this pic you can see the stem just bent..
https://goo.gl/photos/GnkSfuCYBP67gGa4A
Here's another pic of another stem bent.. it's almost directly in the center of the pic.
https://goo.gl/photos/RHZp8MJXmKbYPYxXA
Here's the whole plant.
https://goo.gl/photos/pHbnaZjLqhJGaYGQ6
If you can't open these let me know and I'll figure out another way to upload them.
https://goo.gl/photos/89HPrZyQ5q9fXvQ5A
Here's more of the pinching
https://goo.gl/photos/kxyhnCh9jEWGa9ty6
Directly below the flower in this pic you can see the stem just bent..
https://goo.gl/photos/GnkSfuCYBP67gGa4A
Here's another pic of another stem bent.. it's almost directly in the center of the pic.
https://goo.gl/photos/RHZp8MJXmKbYPYxXA
Here's the whole plant.
https://goo.gl/photos/pHbnaZjLqhJGaYGQ6
If you can't open these let me know and I'll figure out another way to upload them.
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
Superthrive is a growth stimulator, you need nutrients in the form of npk to fuel the growth. If you use too much superthrive you will force it to grow and it will kill itself trying. You can only use superthrive on plants that are well fed and have room to grow. I only use it once a year on the orchids and I have to make sure they are potted up and fed or I will just kill them instead.
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
-
- Cool Member
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 8:29 pm
- Location: Southern California, Zone 10a/10b
Doh! I just transplanted it into a bigger pot, filled it with the new soil and put a decent amount of water in it. Crossing my fingers it doesnt die.
https://goo.gl/photos/W7HUEyNh9YCB8X1J6
https://goo.gl/photos/W7HUEyNh9YCB8X1J6
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
Haha! Still too small. Thing Lowe's 5 gallon paint bucket or bigger. The color is looking a little better. You can bury the stems too. They'll grow roots where the soil touches. Still need more light. They shouldn't be leggy and tall like that without also having some girth to the stems and width to the leaves.
-
- Cool Member
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 8:29 pm
- Location: Southern California, Zone 10a/10b
So the bigger pot I used no longer fits inside my greenhouse. I also noticed that towards the top is another branch that has split.
If I get some fertilizer and just toss a little bit around the inside edge of the pot, think it'll help with these types of situations?
https://goo.gl/photos/He7RSrznZvHspfL76
PS. My zip ties are really loose, they aren't tied at all..
If I get some fertilizer and just toss a little bit around the inside edge of the pot, think it'll help with these types of situations?
https://goo.gl/photos/He7RSrznZvHspfL76
PS. My zip ties are really loose, they aren't tied at all..
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
I wish ferts fixed everything. There's no substitution for sun, room for roots, and breeze for makin plants strong.
If you gonna stick with the pot, I would at least take the 3 plants down to one. Just snip them off.
They're searching for sun. That's why they keep stretching up and up and up. That makes them fragile.
If you gonna stick with the pot, I would at least take the 3 plants down to one. Just snip them off.
They're searching for sun. That's why they keep stretching up and up and up. That makes them fragile.
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
- applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30551
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
I agree you have to get down to just one plant.
THEREAFTER, another way to work with this container is to bury the branch vines at a leaf node in additional separate pots of same or larger size. This way the plant will set down roots in each pot and be able to obtain nutrients and water from several sources.
THEREAFTER, another way to work with this container is to bury the branch vines at a leaf node in additional separate pots of same or larger size. This way the plant will set down roots in each pot and be able to obtain nutrients and water from several sources.
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
applestar wrote:I agree you have to get down to just one plant.
THEREAFTER, another way to work with this container is to bury the branch vines at a leaf node in additional separate pots of same or larger size. This way the plant will set down roots in each pot and be able to obtain nutrients and water from several sources.
Ooooooooooh! That's an excellent idea!
-
- Cool Member
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 8:29 pm
- Location: Southern California, Zone 10a/10b
So my plant came like this when I purchased it, and there's actually 4 plants in the same pot. If I pull them out, gently clean some of the dirt to expose the intertwined roots and separate them without completely ruining the root system, you think they'll survive?
I've no doubt I can do it I'm just wondering what type of shock they'll go through trying to separate them.. it's almost like conjoined twins. Separate them in hopes they all survive, or kill all 4 trying.
I don't have much room in my tiny back yard but I *could* get a bigger pot, but would a bigger pot be sufficient for these 4 plants?
I've no doubt I can do it I'm just wondering what type of shock they'll go through trying to separate them.. it's almost like conjoined twins. Separate them in hopes they all survive, or kill all 4 trying.
I don't have much room in my tiny back yard but I *could* get a bigger pot, but would a bigger pot be sufficient for these 4 plants?
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
- applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30551
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
In all honesty, squash is known to be sensitive to root disturbance. They are not AT ALL like tomatoes, which are good beginner seed starters. Even experienced Gardener's are hesitant to start squash in containers. But it's necessary to get the head-start where growing season is short or when you want to grow a variety that takes long time to mature. But all of that is for nothing if you disturb the roots too much and cause a set back... Or worst case, kill the seedling. It's a delicate process and see-saw balance of choices.
When they ARE started, whether in cups or directly in ground, multiple seeds are planted where ONE plant is intended to grow. The idea is to CHOOSE the strongest seedling and CULL the rest. Again, because of root disturbance issue, squash seedlings are nipped ar soil level rather than pulled.
When they ARE started, whether in cups or directly in ground, multiple seeds are planted where ONE plant is intended to grow. The idea is to CHOOSE the strongest seedling and CULL the rest. Again, because of root disturbance issue, squash seedlings are nipped ar soil level rather than pulled.
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
It depends on the variety. Some like to creep along on the ground, some like to bush up. I had a Butterstick squash once that grew 14 feet long! it produce more squash that I've EVER seen any plant of mine produce! But that's the only yellow squash that I've grown that likes to creep. Butternut likes to get a little creepy here. Most pumpkins like to creep as well.
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
Well, you could cut them off and stuff them with a mixture of goat cheese, cream cheese, Italian type herbs, and the bread them with an egg wash and flour them and then deep fry them until crispy....
That's a good way to deal with them!
*IF* you get female fruit, you'll need to keep some dude flowers. The ladies need them for fruit formation. And JUST CAUSE there's a teeny tiny squash in the end of that lady flower, doesn't mean it's polinated. If it's not it will rot RIGHT OFF!
That's a good way to deal with them!
*IF* you get female fruit, you'll need to keep some dude flowers. The ladies need them for fruit formation. And JUST CAUSE there's a teeny tiny squash in the end of that lady flower, doesn't mean it's polinated. If it's not it will rot RIGHT OFF!
- applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30551
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
The squash flowers male or female only open for a day then fall off the next day. So if there are no femal blossoms yet, the males are useless ( ) and you might as well eat them. You only eat the petals if not cooking them (Or at least I do -- the stem and base of the blossom are too bristly) -- salads, garnish, omelet. In humid conditions, the spent blossom heads tend to get moldy so I remove them when they fall off. I don't worry about the stems.
I have heard that sometimes opposite can happen, but most of the time in my experience, the cucurbits all start out with male blossoms for about a week to 10 days, then start producing female blossoms.
I have heard that sometimes opposite can happen, but most of the time in my experience, the cucurbits all start out with male blossoms for about a week to 10 days, then start producing female blossoms.
-
- Cool Member
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 8:29 pm
- Location: Southern California, Zone 10a/10b
ok so I finally got female flowers. Got a few actually.. what's worrying me is that they look to flower and there aren't any flowering males yet!! There are male flowers but none that look like they will flower at the same time.
Can I open one of the large, but green, male flowers and pollinate that way or will that not work?
Can I open one of the large, but green, male flowers and pollinate that way or will that not work?
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
-
- Cool Member
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 8:29 pm
- Location: Southern California, Zone 10a/10b
So I'm finally getting some squash growing. Have a couple growing actually. I'm noticing some weirdness with my leaves though.. I think I might have a potassium and manganese deficiency.. thoughts?
https://goo.gl/photos/KdZz5cwLnFHHpSkk7
https://goo.gl/photos/Zfn7brEVYAQEB6pJ8
https://goo.gl/photos/KdZz5cwLnFHHpSkk7
https://goo.gl/photos/Zfn7brEVYAQEB6pJ8
- Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 2115
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
-
- Cool Member
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 8:29 pm
- Location: Southern California, Zone 10a/10b
Holy junk, I just googled silverleaf whitefly damage and the first page that I clicked was this, https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef319
This is exactly what is happening. My leaves have all turned a greenish silver color.
I do know that some of my peppers have the white spiral under the leaves which is caused by the whitefly. I've removed all those leaves a few minutes ago.
Now to find an organic insecticide to kill them. My poor patty pan!
This is exactly what is happening. My leaves have all turned a greenish silver color.
I do know that some of my peppers have the white spiral under the leaves which is caused by the whitefly. I've removed all those leaves a few minutes ago.
Now to find an organic insecticide to kill them. My poor patty pan!