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General information and discussion about cultivating melons, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and gourds.

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Old April 2, 2014   #1
aflatea
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Default 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
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Old April 2, 2014   #2
Doug9345
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I know nothing about the jungle mix. What's your source of manure. Since you are having problems with both your squash and tomatoes I'm guessing either the buckets are getting to hot or dry or the mix is bad. Five gallon buckets are small for tomatoes and squash. It can be done, but water and temperature management are harder than with a larger container.
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Old April 2, 2014   #3
Stvrob
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Has it been warm enough in Homossassa for summer squash? over in Jacksonville we had frost just 2 weeks ago
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Old April 2, 2014   #4
aflatea
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Jungle Growth is a brand -- it's supposed to be premium organic mix formulated for tropical climates (like Florida). I got the organic one with Neem in it. It had a substantial amout of vermiculite and moss and stuff in it. It's what was recommended by the master gardeners at my son's school when I was volunteering on a project there with them. The source of manure was a bag of organic compost/manure mix from Lowes. It has gotten cold here/had a couple of late frosts, and I moved the plants all indoors once the temperature got below 60/until it was 60 out again. I'm having problems with ALL my veggies (the bush beans are the only thing that seem to be growing rapidly and doing well -- but also have spots on their leaves attributed to sun damage). Is there a way I can save these squash/zucchini?
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Old April 2, 2014   #5
aflatea
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I planted last year in the ground....but my entire garden was devoured within a week of germination/transplanting by ants and rabbits,deer, wild pigs, and armadillos....We live on a ranch in the woods next to a 10,000 acre game preserve - there are animals and pests out the yin yang and I don't have the budget to build a big fence. SO, I thought containers right next to my house/my car would keep most of the pests away.
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Old April 2, 2014   #6
Doug9345
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As I wrote about your pepper plants, fifties at night isn't going to make peppers nor squash happy. This is particularly so in a five gallon bucket as it chills off too. I think you plants will improve once the night temperatures get higher unless they go to the other extreme.
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Old April 3, 2014   #7
FaithHopeLove
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Give your peppers another month or two, I think they looked pretty darn good! I'm not too far from you in Summerfield (close to The Villages...) but all my plants are in the ground but like you not next to 10,000 acres, I only have five acres here.
It wouldn't hurt to hit your plants with some copper spray and some epsom salt.
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Old April 3, 2014   #8
aconite
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Looks like a fungal infection. Spray with copper or a wider spectrum fungicide. Zucchini are tough, they'll bounce right back. Give them a feeding a few days after spraying to help them out.
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Old April 4, 2014   #9
aflatea
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I will try the epsom salt (how do I apply that?) and am picking up a fungicide for the tomatoes - so I might as well use it for everything. I guess I'll give everything some more time. I poured more soil onto the squash and zucchini and buried the bottom 8 inches of the vine, so I am hoping that promotoes more roots to form. I'm going to mulch them this weekend too to try to keep them from sitting on the moist soil. The full nastiness of summer is not yet upon us, but I am betting the coming humidity is not going to help in the disease management process.
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