lexxivexx
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| Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:27 pm Post subject: Depressed Zucchini - withered & some leaves a little bur |
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Yesterday they looked a little bummed out, and I thought maybe they just missed me while I was gone for 4 days... but today they're worse. Some smaller leaves look a little burnt. Are they just thirsty/hot? We've had some uncharacteristically sweltering days this week.
This is how they looked exactly one week ago:
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toni
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| Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like you might have a bug. Check them for squash bugs or another kind. Squash bugs will suck the life out of plans in a very short time and the plant will not recooperate from it.
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lexxivexx
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:41 am Post subject: |
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Are squash bugs very sneaky? I've been checking the leaves, only a few aphids and ants hanging around. Misted the heck out of the leaves anyways with soapy water, now that it's shady. It also seems like the leaves perked up a little since it cooled down.
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zuzu's petals
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:51 am Post subject: |
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Oh my, those are desperately sad, aren't they?
 ....................
... Perhaps your pepper plants have been taunting them? 
 ...sorry, I couldn't help myself.
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lexxivexx
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:57 am Post subject: |
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LOL I wouldn't doubt it Zuzu, those peppers are so darn ornery! I put a little statue of Buddha with the zukes, hoping that would cheer them up. Maybe he'll teach the Jalapeños a little about Zen while he's at it.
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toni
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:16 am Post subject: |
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Uh, oh, you are not going to like the info I found just now. I found a picture of a zucchini plant that looks exactly like yours, the plant has Bacterial Wilt.
Plants that wilt and ooze a sticky sap when cut may be infected by wilt that is spread in the spring by the cucumber beetle. Squash vine borers can also cause the plant to wilt.
If it is Bacterial Wilt, there is no treatment to control it and the vines should be pulled up and thrown away...not in the compost pile.
If they don't pickup in a little while, you probably need to do some researching to find out if they are infected or have borers.
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lexxivexx
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:29 am Post subject: |
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They did ooze when I cut some of the dead leaves! 
Thanks for the info, Toni. A neighbor's cucumber are exhibiting some of the same symptoms, so that's probably what happened. I'll let her know.
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toni
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:33 am Post subject: |
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Sounds like a lost crop Lexxi.
I had to pull up all my Squash and Pumpkin vines about a month ago because of the Squash bug infestation.
I am really glad I didn't say anything to my youngest grandson about growing pumpkins. He and I love pumpkin pie without the crust and I was really looking forward to the two of us harvesting pumpkins this fall.
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nan1234
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:03 am Post subject: |
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"Bacterial wilt" came into my mind when I first saw your photos because my melon garden suffers the same problem. My winter melon start to wilt a week ago and so far only 5% of the plant affected. I will see how it will survive or not, or at least, to get some winter melons before it dies.
I had one Chinese sweet melon in my cucumber bed. The melon died due to bacterial wilt but I still get 5 mature mellons from that vine. However, all cucumbers around the died melon are doing well. It is said that certain varieties of cucumber and squash have some degrees of resistance to this disease. I am lucky to have these cucumber survived.
The bacterial can only survive in a couple of weeks in a died and dried plant and has no way to survive through winter, except in the digestive tract of cucumber beetles. Based on this fact, I would conclude (Please correct me if I am wrong):
1. Rotation does not help because the bacterial (Erwinia tracheiphila) cannot survive through winter in ground, and cucumber beetles can fly to anywhere you have the plant.
2. Seeds do not carry the disease, because the bacterial cannot survive in a dry condition.
3. There is no harm to put the died plants into compost.
4. Covering plants with cheesecloth to keep cucumber beetles away is perhaps the most effective way to prevent the disease. I don't want to use insecticide.
5. Select plants resistant to this disease. Certain cucumbers and squash, and all Watermelons.
6. Start seedlings early indoor. By the time cucumber beetles emerge, you already have mature plants (like my Chinese sweet melon).
7. Avoid environmental conditions which favor the ovenwintering, feeding, and reproduction of the cucumber beetles.
8. Avoid watering plants overhead. The bacteria and infection can only take place when there is a film of water on the leaf sufficient for the bacteria to reach a wound and gain entry into the inner leaf tissue.
9. Beetles apparently prefer to feed on plants with bacterial wilt symptoms. So, remove and throw away the infected plants right away.
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lexxivexx
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| Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:43 am Post subject: |
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Thanks so much, Nan. I'll buy smarter next year and do the cheesecloth, for sure.
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