My two yellow squash are producing. Though I have squash vine borers and not I have powdery mildew too it looks like. I haven't seen any of the mother moths or eggs, just the (crass?) and I've cut a couple out of my stems. I'm just going with it, but I'd like to get as many squash off the vine before they die - no sign of wilting yet that I can tell. Should I trim them to help the fruit mature faster?

Also, maybe this is the first sign they're going - but right before the rain today I noticed the plants are now laying on their sides - does squash do this normally when it gets bigger/heavier, or is it a sign of a problem?

Thanks so much for any input! We'll be moving to Canada next spring, and I really hope they don't have the SVB there!

Unfortunately, it sounds as if there is a problem from the vine borer. They suck the juice right out of the stem. There is a remedy if you get it while it is young.

I tried this once and it worked, I tried this again and it didn't. You find the sawdust like material and the opening will be there. You can slice into the vine part way, up to half, and remove the borer. Then you pull soil up around the opening.

Here is a link to help identify different pests of squash: http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef314.asp

Thanks! Yeah I've removed whatever borers I could find and covered the vines with dirt again. It was just odd to find my plants laid on their sides today even though they still look perfectly healthy. I read one reply to a post that said it was normal for squash to do that when they get bigger, but haven't been able to find anything else to confirm it.

Can I encourage the fruit on the vine to mature any faster before the whole plant goes?

There are a couple of organic solutions available from "Gardens Alive" www.gardensalive.com namely; Pyola/Soap Shield and Nema-Ject which are injectable nematodes.
It may be to late this year but for raising any vine crop its hard to beat the nematodes.

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Canada has just about the same bugs and diseases as the States. They don't respect the border at all! Currently, you won't find termites or fire ants where the cold winter temperatures kill them off. Other than that, things are much the same.

(It's "frass" the word you were looking for. Just a nice term for bug poo.)

quote:

Originally posted by Thoroski:
Thanks! Yeah I've removed whatever borers I could find and covered the vines with dirt again. It was just odd to find my plants laid on their sides today even though they still look perfectly healthy. I read one reply to a post that said it was normal for squash to do that when they get bigger, but haven't been able to find anything else to confirm it.

Can I encourage the fruit on the vine to mature any faster before the whole plant goes?

You could add compost, composted manure or a kelp spray as a foliar spray.

It is not unusal for the squash to appear limpish in the heat of the day, but my vines stay upright(now that I have learned from experience) through to fall.

(It's "frass" the word you were looking for. Just a nice term for bug poo.)

(Yeah, I know)

Rats! I thought for sure the freezing Winnipeg temps would keep the borer away LOL!

I have a bunch of things to try next season, and will probably just go with the flow this year, cut them out when I can, etc.

They have perked back up and a friend of mine told me hers do that in the heat of the day. They are standingg nice and tall now, and I'm sure the 4 hours of rain we've had today help LOL.

One thing I tried last year was dark cedar chips around the base of the plants for the squash and melons. Most the squash did terrific. I am doing it again this year.

The other control is watching out for eggs on the plant and eradicating them. I am doing is cutting out the egg mass area (and no more than that) and either destrying by squishing them betqween bricks or dunking them in water and vinegar(depends which one is nearest me).