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Garden Gate:  Squash wet or end rot?  |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 29 2010 : 11:14:49 AM
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I noticed that a few of my yellow squash had a black fuzzy mold at the blossom and where dying yesterday. Today it is on all of our squash. We are losing 12-15 ft rows of zucchini, yellow straight neck, yellow bottleneck, spaghetti, acorn and butternut squash. I didn't find a cure for it on the Internet so do I go ahead and cut my acorn squash to save it (yellow spots have not turned orange or golden yet)? Or am I losing everything that's out there now? I have lots of spaghetti squash, but only a few that look like they are ready to be picked. I have a lot more acorn.
What should I do? We've never had this before. Do I pull everything from the garden and what do I do with it? Compost or burn it?
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1515 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1515 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2010 : 10:05:12 PM
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Kristina, are the leaves of the plants affected too, or just the blossoms and fruit?
I'm not familiar with plant diseases in your area, but around here we have trouble with mold on blossoms and fruit when it rains alot or water is allowed to sit on the plants for an extended period (for example watering late in the evening so the water doesn't have time to evaporate and sits on the plant all night). Modifying watering practices and lifting the fruit off the soil with a rock or brick to improve air circulation can often help resolve the problem. Sometimes even thinning out the leaves to allow more air flow through the plant can help. Could this be part of the problem?
It might also be blossom end rot or a similar disease. This can be caused by soil ph problems and/or mineral or nutrient difficiencies. You might google blossom end rot or check with your local extension agency to find out if there are any recommended treatments for this type of disease in your area.
If the squash are large enough to harvest you can try cutting them off, but usually once the disease gets into the stem the fruit won't last very long.
Anytime you remove diseased matter from your garden it should not be added to compost pile. Burning it or disposing of it in the garbage are better solutions to prevent the disease from spreading.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Cheers! ~ Marilyn
Farm Girl No. 1100
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2010 : 11:16:38 PM
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Ours all died out from too much rain. My grandma said to dig out a 5 gallon bucket worth of a hole before plantin, then fill it half way with sand, then top off with the dirt so it mounds up. Then you plant in the mounded part. She said you can till right over the sand and it will be deep enough to not be tilled up into the surface. Then, as you rotate your crop rows, you build up a sand layer that will keep your garden properly drained durin any major rainy seasons. It will also be deep enough to not over dry your plants and require excess waterin in the summer.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jul 31 2010 : 07:03:37 AM
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may i suggest you add some calcium to the soil. it may help. a little late in the game but might save some. they do make a product for blossom end rot. or you can crush egg shells. soak in warm water and apply to soil. sounds like you have a big garden. you may want to buy a commercial product for blossom end rot. just a thought sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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Garden Gate: Squash wet or end rot? |
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Squash wet or end rot?
