Squash died unexpectedly

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 07:07:58 AM

Wondering if squash isn't a good candidate to be planted in an elevated planter box. Everything else we have is doing great. Zucchini, potatoes and a bunch of herbs.

The squash was flowering, huge leaves and looking full of life a week ago. Been in steady decline ever since. Everything was transplanted from 4inch pots from the garden center on 21 May.

Looking pretty good on the right side of this picture.

All we got was one tiny squash about 4 inches.

Anybody have any tips?

Southside · July 13, 2021, 07:31:08 AM

Any beetles on the leaves or white fungus at the base of the plant?

nativewolf · July 13, 2021, 07:55:10 AM

Quote from: Southside on July 13, 2021, 07:31:08 AM
Any beetles on the leaves or white fungus at the base of the plant?

Good questions. Also take a look at the stem as it enters the soil, any slits? Can you take a stem and slice it open.

bannerd · July 13, 2021, 08:24:02 AM

Honestly it would be hard for zucchini to grow in such a small box. Zucchini needs about three feet from other zucchinis to really thrive. Without the spacing it encourages fungus. You can combat the fungus and the beetles with neem oil (1tbsp to 1 gallon water 1tbsp of dawn dish soap or peppermint oil - white wash). I've seen zucchini grow anywhere but it's just a bad technique. Also, if you have pea stone I would mix that into the soil, the minerals from the stone will help the zucchini grow, will help with water to the roots and also deter moles/voles from eating the roots.

btulloh · July 13, 2021, 08:43:02 AM

Good advice above. I don't have any experience with squash in a container but they do need room and good drainage. I always planted in hills three feet apart.

Main problem here was squash borers but not hard to control. Nativewolf covered those symptoms but just from the picture yours don't look like squash borer damage. I suspect overcrowding and wet roots led to their demise. Look for fungus on the roots.

Maybe somebody with experience with container squash will see this and weigh in on techniques.

Sorry to see you lose your squash.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 08:57:36 AM

Quote from: Southside on July 13, 2021, 07:31:08 AMAny beetles on the leaves or white fungus at the base of the plant?

Never saw any beetles and there aren't any now. No fungus that we can see now and none that I remember.

Quote from: nativewolf on July 13, 2021, 07:55:10 AMGood questions. Also take a look at the stem as it enters the soil, any slits? Can you take a stem and slice it open.

Yes, there are slits. See pics.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 09:00:03 AM

Quote from: bannerd on July 13, 2021, 08:24:02 AM
Honestly it would be hard for zucchini to grow in such a small box. Zucchini needs about three feet from other zucchinis to really thrive. Without the spacing it encourages fungus. You can combat the fungus and the beetles with neem oil (1tbsp to 1 gallon water 1tbsp of dawn dish soap or peppermint oil - white wash). I've seen zucchini grow anywhere but it's just a bad technique. Also, if you have pea stone I would mix that into the soil, the minerals from the stone will help the zucchini grow, will help with water to the roots and also deter moles/voles from eating the roots.

That's what we thought too about it being in a planter box. I guess because it was doing so well, we were hopeful. Can't see any fungus though, so that leaves us a bit confused. We will look into the pea stone. Thank you.

btulloh · July 13, 2021, 09:03:27 AM

Squash borer. Must be controlled early when the plants are just a few inches tall. I always used Sevin dust at the base of the plant and on the ground. Reapply after a week or a little less. No doubt there are other ways to control as well.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 09:06:52 AM

Quote from: btulloh on July 13, 2021, 08:43:02 AM
Good advice above. I don't have any experience with squash in a container but they do need room and good drainage. I always planted in hills three feet apart.

Main problem here was squash borers but not hard to control. Nativewolf covered those symptoms but just from the picture yours don't look like squash borer damage. I suspect overcrowding and wet roots led to their demise. Look for fungus on the roots.

Maybe somebody with experience with container squash will see this and weigh in on techniques.

Sorry to see you lose your squash.

Its a bit of a bummer Bob, but we're pretty new gardeners so we'll chalk it up to "growing" pains.

As far as drainage goes, the soil is contained in a crate lined with landscape fabric and open to the air on the bottom. We usually water until water starts coming out the bottom....maybe 30 seconds worth.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 09:07:51 AM

Quote from: btulloh on July 13, 2021, 09:03:27 AM
Squash borer. Must be controlled early when the plants are just a few inches tall. I always used Sevin dust at the base of the plant and on the ground. Reapply after a week or a little less. No doubt there are other ways to control as well.

Is that what the slits indicate?

btulloh · July 13, 2021, 09:16:05 AM

Yes. The larvae eat their way in at the base of the stems then hang out and eat as they grow. Pretty soon all channels for water and nutrients are cut off from the rest of the plant.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 09:26:37 AM

Quote from: btulloh on July 13, 2021, 09:16:05 AM
Yes. The larvae eat their way in at the base of the stems then hang out and eat as they grow. Pretty soon all channels for water and nutrients are cut off from the rest of the plant.

Just found this guy after rooting around a bit in the deadfall. Is this a squash borer?

bannerd · July 13, 2021, 09:31:24 AM

Hard telling, either way something your probably don't want ;D

bannerd · July 13, 2021, 09:32:40 AM

You can split the squash stem, they usually hang out in there.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 09:43:51 AM

Thanks everyone for your help! I built all the planter boxes and my wife heads up the gardening department. We were at a loss when it declined so quickly. I knew exactly where to go to get the answers I needed!

Quote from: bannerd on July 13, 2021, 09:32:40 AM
You can split the squash stem, they usually hang out in there.

I looked in a few and didn't see any. Oh well. I'll remove the offending crates.

Thanks again.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 12:10:27 PM

Found them! I understand now about how they block off nutrients in the stem. Good knowledge. We really thought it was because they were confined to the crates or a problem with sun/shade/watering. I think we'll give it another go next season in the crates, but with the proper treatment for pests. If they die again, we'll spread them out. I guess I could always build a bigger planter box

Thanks all!

btulloh · July 13, 2021, 12:20:15 PM

Good deal. Mystery solved. Plenty of info out there about controlling. Timing is the key to that.

You'll need some bigger boxes. Need some room for the squash to sit. Tag says 2 seeds, 6ft apart, just as a refer. Maybe some wings on existing box. Need some info from someone who's done container squash.

bannerd · July 13, 2021, 01:05:14 PM

Not sure if you're organic or not but a dustin-mizer with the scoop inverted works very well to control the beetle. We just invert the nozzle and it coats the underside of the leaves with DE. The larva gets implanted there and eventually works its way to the bottom. 99% of the time the larva with diatomaceous earth dries out the larva. If it's pre-existing(DE) on the plant the beetle typically moves on.. chicken food eventually or bat food I suppose.

Because the mizer can get under it.. I found even after a good rain it still holds on.

Southside · July 13, 2021, 02:20:32 PM

Gotta get some Chickens. ;D

SwampDonkey · July 13, 2021, 02:22:23 PM

I have one of those dustin-mizers. They have been around for over 30 years because my great uncle had one back in the 80's. His was just like mine. You can get those at places that sell the diatomaceous earth. Lee Valley used to sell them a few years ago, not now.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 04:10:13 PM

Ok so I definitely had to Google what the heck a Dustin-mizer was, so now I get it. We have a very limited garden so I think I'll go with something like @btulloh recommended.

Its funny...I grew up in CT and I remember my mother planting a 12x15ft garden every year and doing nothing more than watering it 4 times a week and we'd have more veggies than us and our immediate neighbors could ever eat. Either I mentally blocked out the beetles, borers, caterpillars, and all the other pests, or things are just different because of the growing conditions there versus southeastern VA.

21incher · July 13, 2021, 04:15:16 PM

I have been growing squash squeezed into small raised beds for years with fantastic results. I just use compost. After a while I pray for borers ;D.

VB-Milling · July 13, 2021, 04:19:12 PM

Quote from: 21incher on July 13, 2021, 04:15:16 PM
I have been growing squash squeezed into small raised beds for years with fantastic results. I just use compost. After a while I pray for borers ;D.

I was really hoping you were going to chime in @21incher
I remember seeing some raised beds in your videos.

Mooseherder · July 13, 2021, 04:27:00 PM

I've got a garter snake hanging out at the garden. He's there everyday hopefully eating bugs. Got the first flower yesterday.

21incher · July 13, 2021, 04:31:39 PM

I have switched from a large open garden to raised beds and it was the best move I have ever made. The only secret is to keep a good compost bed going and refresh them every spring. Bugs are a gardeners worst problem and it's easy to pick bugs from one bed at a time and plant a little extra for them. Not to late to replant them in most areas as they usually take 45 to 55 days. Good luck.