Who else struggles with summer squash?

Siberian · July 18, 2013

Am I the only one? Every time I grow summer squash, there are always dead, diseased-looking leaves on the lower half of the plant and they fairly quickly make their way up the plant. Some leaves have brown splotches with yellowing, and others just yellow and die. Sometimes the process is quick, other times it works it's way up slowly. The fruit often rot at the very young stage (I think this is lack of pollination as I am nearly positive it's not blossom end rot). Then there's always the lovely squash vine borers.

I'm in Northern NJ, zone 6b. Plants are started safely after last frost, are inoculated with mycos, beneficial bacteria and are fertilized with fish emulsion, seaweed and occasionally with molasses.

This is partly to vent, but partly to ask what am I doing wrong? I know they generally are more disease-prone, but mine seem to be on their way to dying well before they have ever hit peak production. This is the only plant that gives me consistent troubles -- nearly everything else grows well and is very productive and disease-resistant.

July 18, 2013	#1
Siberian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NJ Posts: 49	Who else struggles with summer squash? Am I the only one? Every time I grow summer squash, there are always dead, diseased-looking leaves on the lower half of the plant and they fairly quickly make their way up the plant. Some leaves have brown splotches with yellowing, and others just yellow and die. Sometimes the process is quick, other times it works it's way up slowly. The fruit often rot at the very young stage (I think this is lack of pollination as I am nearly positive it's not blossom end rot). Then there's always the lovely squash vine borers. I'm in Northern NJ, zone 6b. Plants are started safely after last frost, are inoculated with mycos, beneficial bacteria and are fertilized with fish emulsion, seaweed and occasionally with molasses. This is partly to vent, but partly to ask what am I doing wrong? I know they generally are more disease-prone, but mine seem to be on their way to dying well before they have ever hit peak production. This is the only plant that gives me consistent troubles -- nearly everything else grows well and is very productive and disease-resistant.