This is the sad story of how I failed no fewer than five squash plants this season. I'm seeking advice in hopes to do better the next time around.

I started this season with a straightneck squash seedling from Lowes, which I planted in my raised bed. It quickly got crispy and ashy around the edges, which I think was the result of my lack of understanding on how to fertilize it right. I replaced it with a crookneck seedling, also from Lowes.

I also started three acorn squash from seed nearby in hopes that one of them would grow, and all three did. For a while, earlier on in the season, they seemed to be doing well. When a home soil test indicated that the soil needed nitrogen, I planted cowpeas around the squash to give them that boost.

This may have been a big mistake. The cowpea plants grew big and tall, and might have shaded out the squash plants. I noticed they were growing blossoms on very tall stalks, but that they weren't fruiting. One acorn squash plant yielded a small fruit that came off the vine when it was still tender enough to be eaten raw--the consistency of a zucchini. The same plant yielded a fruit that grew bigger and had developed a dark green skin, but then I pulled a green caterpillar right out of its side. After that, the pill bugs just descended on it and ate it alive. (I didn't even know that pill bugs ate garden plants).

I pulled the crookneck and one of the acorn squash plants for dead two weeks ago, and pulled the other two today. In addition to the pill bug damage on the one fruit, the leaves looked dry, ashy, and scorched (I haven't added fertilizer in a long while, so that's not it this time), and the places where the blossoms would normally be looked slimy. The vines looked dry and stringy, and like they were trying to pull themselves out of the ground. I've included pictures of the damage here.

So, having so epically failed: What can I do to prevent these problems the next time around? I live in Atlanta; is it possible to try for a fall planting, or should I wait for spring? Your thoughts are truly appreciated.

delanddelakes said:This is the sad story of how I failed no fewer than five squash plants this season. I'm seeking advice in hopes to do better the next time around.

I started this season with a straightneck squash seedling from Lowes, which I planted in my raised bed. It quickly got crispy and ashy around the edges, which I think was the result of my lack of understanding on how to fertilize it right. I replaced it with a crookneck seedling, also from Lowes.

I also started three acorn squash from seed nearby in hopes that one of them would grow, and all three did. For a while, earlier on in the season, they seemed to be doing well. When a home soil test indicated that the soil needed nitrogen, I planted cowpeas around the squash to give them that boost.

This may have been a big mistake. The cowpea plants grew big and tall, and might have shaded out the squash plants. I noticed they were growing blossoms on very tall stalks, but that they weren't fruiting. One acorn squash plant yielded a small fruit that came off the vine when it was still tender enough to be eaten raw--the consistency of a zucchini. The same plant yielded a fruit that grew bigger and had developed a dark green skin, but then I pulled a green caterpillar right out of its side. After that, the pill bugs just descended on it and ate it alive. (I didn't even know that pill bugs ate garden plants).

I pulled the crookneck and one of the acorn squash plants for dead two weeks ago, and pulled the other two today. In addition to the pill bug damage on the one fruit, the leaves looked dry, ashy, and scorched (I haven't added fertilizer in a long while, so that's not it this time), and the places where the blossoms would normally be looked slimy. The vines looked dry and stringy, and like they were trying to pull themselves out of the ground. I've included pictures of the damage here.

So, having so epically failed: What can I do to prevent these problems the next time around? I live in Atlanta; is it possible to try for a fall planting, or should I wait for spring? Your thoughts are truly appreciated.

First step. Squash is pretty easy. I believe that you are over thinking. Just relax.

Spring is the best time to grow them. They will grow in the fall, but here in Georgia both insects and diseases tend to build up through the summer.

In Early April prepare a place to grow them. They need loose soil 6-8 inches deep and about 3 ft in diameter. Add some fertilizer to the mix. I use a cup of 10-10-10 but you can use any fertilizer with a 1-1-1 ratio Plant 4- 5 seeds per hill. Lightly cultivate or mulch after emergence if in the ground and thin to 2 plants per hill. If using containers just keep them weed free. You should be able to get to get a crop before the SVB takes over and the pickle worms arrive. SVB can be slowed down but it becomes complicated especially if you wish to grow organically. Easier to work around them and that means get your crop before they arrive in full force.

They do not require any babying. Just prepare a good bed for them, protect them from competition and let them do their thing. You May wish to hand pollinate the first fruits especially if you only have less than a half dozen plants.

I'll give you the same advice I gave to my new neighbors who had exactly the same issues.

First, you are overwatering. Squashes, melons, zucchini etc are dry weather lovers. Unless there's a massive heat wave they will content themselves with being watered once a week.
Second, mix in slacked lime when fertilizing the beds in late Winter/early Spring. It will help prevent blossom end rot (see top picture).
Third, attract pollinators or, failing that, pollinate female flowers by hand. In my experience blossom end rot in squashes/zucchini is 60% lack of calcium and 40% insufficient pollination. Take care of both and you won't have any more problems.
Fourth, keep an eye out for powdery mildew. It's easily and cheaply kept in check (lime sulfur) but will devastate your plants if left unchecked.
Fifth and final. Unless you know for sure your area is free from the disease, always always choose cultivars that are Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) resistant.

Remember that all squash/zucchini plants become pretty ugly as the season progress, really nothing you can do about it, and they are productive for 2/3 months at most.

I planted my autumn squash while it was still hot. should have squash of a reasonable size very soon.
Unfortunately, As Dillard mentioned... there is bug issues... seems like every squash on my plants has holes in them... cucumber worms...

I'm picking the worms out of the blossoms... and... still having issues with those things!




Squash are easy to grow... except for all the bugs...

Not sure what the problem is... but... maybe you could try planting next to the compost pile?
We get a lot of people asking about the squash plants in their compost...

I would strongly encourage you to plant seed and leave those squash plants on the rack!

I took some pictures yesterday, for you of my autumn squash.

It looks like the pickle worms (see pic in above post) are destroying all the male blooms before they open... gonna be difficult to continue hand-pollinating the female blooms... with no male flowers!

I eat a lot of these striped cushaw when I can get them to produce... they taste like taters, but require very little cooking!

The thing about autumn planting... We get frost in November here.
Up in Atlanta... maybe in October.
You might be able to grow some yellow crookneck in that time, but it would be pushing it... Nothing like trying... Maybe cover the plants with a bed sheet on those cooler nights...