I've often had trouble finding a squash hidden under all the leaves until it was way too big, so this year I put a tomato cage over one squash plant just to see what would happen.
If your squash is producing smaller fruit it can be the result of a number of things, such as watering, fertilizers used, the variety planted, and more. Trial and error may help determine the cause. This is a page about what to do when summer squash is not growing large.
This is the first summer squash of the season. I find being in the garden more entertaining than any show on TV or the theater. If you look closely in the picture, you will see that there are going to be more.
That dollar bill used for size comparison really washed out for some reason.
I need a way that is not chemically dangerous to rid my garden of squash bugs that kill the plant overnight.
By Toebeanie
The squash vine borer is a very insidious moth that feeds on squash plants. You can tell it attacked your squash when you can see that the stem of the plant itself has been destroyed and gutted out by a disgusting fat white grub.
How far apart do I plant summer squash?
By Jennifer
How can I keep pests from eating my summer squash without chemicals?
By garden maid from Clarksville, TN
Try a mixture of liquid dish soap (perhaps 1/2 cup) to a gallon of water. Pour it into a spray bottle and spray over the leaves of your plants. Works well for me.
The fruit of my zucchini and crookneck squash plants is growing more slowly than usual and the tips of the fruit are getting soft and rotten. Anyone know what's going on? The plants otherwise look healthy.
By Gary D.
How can I battle the squash bugs effectively? I lose my squash, cucumber, and melons to them every year! I try to stay up on the eggs, but it's just not enough. I've tried so many pesticides, but they have done more damage then help. I am hoping to find more of an organic solution.
Most home made sprays use oil, garlic juice, dish liquid soap, red pepper, and water. I'd throw it all in, about 1 tablespoon each. I'd also go out with bucket of soapy water and knock any I found into the water.
If you can have hens, I'd let them loose in the garden to pick off the bugs, and then remove from area. I hear guinea fowl are good too, but a bit noisy.
Somebody that sells produce at our farmer's market said that if you wait till about June 1 to plant squash, their cycle has passed and you will not get them. I have never tried this myself so can't say for sure this is true. I am just passing on what she said.
Why is my yellow squash rotting on the vine when it is halfway to maturity? It is shaded by the corn growing next to it and watered every other day. The summers are hot, always sunny and dry here, (avg. 28 C), so it seems unlikely it could be too much water. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hardiness Zone: 9a
By christine from San Remo, Italy
The most likely problem is blossom end rot. It can be caused by many different things. Extreme soil moisture fluctuation. Rapid plant growth in spring followed by extended dry weather. Excessive rain that smothers root hairs. Or even excess soil salts.
Could you pick the squash up a little so it would not be on the ground?
I have a squash and zucchini problem. Both seem to be dying on the vine. I saw a post about the zucchini and was wondering if you think it's a pollination problem.
