Zucchini in trouble - Ask Extension
Please can you help me what is going on with my Zucchini? What am I dealing with and any suggests if I can correct it.
Knowledgebase
Zucchini in trouble #877350
Asked July 15, 2024, 4:12 PM EDT
Please can you help me what is going on with my Zucchini? What am I dealing with and any suggests if I can correct it.
Hamilton County Ohio
Expert Response
Hi Cyndi,
From your pictures, I can't determine what the specific problem is. I expected to see powdery mildew which is prevalent here in Ohio with our hot humid summers. You may still have some of that.
But the holes eaten in the leaves indicate an insect is attacking the leaves. Those could be either squash beetles or cucumber beetles. In my garden, I've had to battle squash vine borer which can cause whole stems of the plant to wilt.
You didn't say whether or not your plants have bloomed or produced fruit yet, but I expect they have. Since the insect prevention would have had to occur before the blossoms appeared, it would be too late now to use the recommended row covers.
If it is a disease, in the future seek out varieties that have better disease resistance.
I had to laugh at the title of this Kansas State Extension fact sheet: Zucchinis: Not That Easy to Grow Anymore (k-state.edu).
Here are two more informative fact sheets from the University of Maryland Extension:
Key to Common Problems of Squash | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu)
and
Growing Summer Squash (Zucchini) in a Home Garden | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu)
Best of luck.
From your pictures, I can't determine what the specific problem is. I expected to see powdery mildew which is prevalent here in Ohio with our hot humid summers. You may still have some of that.
But the holes eaten in the leaves indicate an insect is attacking the leaves. Those could be either squash beetles or cucumber beetles. In my garden, I've had to battle squash vine borer which can cause whole stems of the plant to wilt.
You didn't say whether or not your plants have bloomed or produced fruit yet, but I expect they have. Since the insect prevention would have had to occur before the blossoms appeared, it would be too late now to use the recommended row covers.
If it is a disease, in the future seek out varieties that have better disease resistance.
I had to laugh at the title of this Kansas State Extension fact sheet: Zucchinis: Not That Easy to Grow Anymore (k-state.edu).
Here are two more informative fact sheets from the University of Maryland Extension:
Key to Common Problems of Squash | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu)
and
Growing Summer Squash (Zucchini) in a Home Garden | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu)
Best of luck.
Hey there!!
Ty so much for the synopsis..
My concern is blight..My zucchini has definitely produced, obviously now its sick!!! We have cucumber right next to it as well... We treated with neem oil and releases 1500 lady bugs to work on the aphids...So you know gardening is fairly new to me so the conditions and diseases are not in my wheelhouse..
In close, my biggest fear is BLIGHT!!
Thx again for your help!!
Cyndi
Cyndi,
Blight was not my first thought, but here is a thorough fact sheet from Cornell on Plectosprium:
Plectosporium Blight: A New Disease of Cucurbit Crops to Prepare For | Cornell Vegetables
The way Cornell describes the disease is quite specific, so you can see if your plants answer to this description.
The University of Minnesota has a fact sheet on all the other diseases that can occur:
What's wrong with my plant? : Garden : University of Minnesota Extension (umn.edu)
Again, read these and see if what they describe is what you are seeing.
Of course, good garden hygiene is a must. Since your plants are done producing, remove all vegetative material from your garden and dispose of in the trash. Do not compost it. That advice applies anywhere in your yard whether the plants in question are vegetables, roses, peonies, etc. If the plant has problems, composting that material will not kill the pathogens. Using that compost will just spread the disease.
But don't be discouraged and better luck next year.
Blight was not my first thought, but here is a thorough fact sheet from Cornell on Plectosprium:
Plectosporium Blight: A New Disease of Cucurbit Crops to Prepare For | Cornell Vegetables
The way Cornell describes the disease is quite specific, so you can see if your plants answer to this description.
The University of Minnesota has a fact sheet on all the other diseases that can occur:
What's wrong with my plant? : Garden : University of Minnesota Extension (umn.edu)
Again, read these and see if what they describe is what you are seeing.
Of course, good garden hygiene is a must. Since your plants are done producing, remove all vegetative material from your garden and dispose of in the trash. Do not compost it. That advice applies anywhere in your yard whether the plants in question are vegetables, roses, peonies, etc. If the plant has problems, composting that material will not kill the pathogens. Using that compost will just spread the disease.
But don't be discouraged and better luck next year.
