What's wrong with my summer squash and zucchini?

aflatea · April 2, 2014

This is my first year container gardening and I planted a summer squash (yellow crookneck) and a zucchini (black beauty hybrid) plant. Both are looking pretty horrendous. I sent pics to the local extension service and they replied "it's not a vine borer"....but not what it could be. I have them each in 5 gallon containers in a mix of 20% organic compost and manure (purchased) and 80% jungle growth flower and vegetable mix w/ about 2 inches of marble gravel in the bottom for drainage. They're in full sun (sunrise till 3pm) in Zone 9a on the west coast of Florida. I water when they feel dry up the first knuckle and water until it runs out of the bottom. I drag them under shelter when it rains. I also treat every 3 days with a ready mix organic insecticide and haven't seen any little pests anywhere early in the morning.The leaves have spots and the edges curl up and look brown and dead. I pulled some of the leaves off, hoping the new growth would be okay -- but no dice. The vines also look split - which I thought meant a vine borer, but there isn't any "sawdust" looking stuff - they just are light yellow and split. I pulled one out completely and it was brittle feeling - like a piece of hay but there were still baby blossoms and leaves growing further up the vine. Any ideas what it could be or if I can save these plants? I attached a picture of the zucchini, and the squash looks exactly the same.

zucchini.jpg

April 2, 2014	#1
aflatea Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Homosassa, Florida Posts: 12	What's wrong with my summer squash and zucchini? This is my first year container gardening and I planted a summer squash (yellow crookneck) and a zucchini (black beauty hybrid) plant. Both are looking pretty horrendous. I sent pics to the local extension service and they replied "it's not a vine borer"....but not what it could be. I have them each in 5 gallon containers in a mix of 20% organic compost and manure (purchased) and 80% jungle growth flower and vegetable mix w/ about 2 inches of marble gravel in the bottom for drainage. They're in full sun (sunrise till 3pm) in Zone 9a on the west coast of Florida. I water when they feel dry up the first knuckle and water until it runs out of the bottom. I drag them under shelter when it rains. I also treat every 3 days with a ready mix organic insecticide and haven't seen any little pests anywhere early in the morning.The leaves have spots and the edges curl up and look brown and dead. I pulled some of the leaves off, hoping the new growth would be okay -- but no dice. The vines also look split - which I thought meant a vine borer, but there isn't any "sawdust" looking stuff - they just are light yellow and split. I pulled one out completely and it was brittle feeling - like a piece of hay but there were still baby blossoms and leaves growing further up the vine. Any ideas what it could be or if I can save these plants? I attached a picture of the zucchini, and the squash looks exactly the same. zucchini.jpg