problems with my zuccini

[Maryann]

My zuccini goes limp after a few hours of sun. I have been shading it with a beach umbrella. you think it needs more water? less water? its the one thing I am having real problems with.
OH!
I need help in planning for next year, we are HUGE veggie eaters!
thanks
Maryann:eek:

[Computer Cowboy]

How limp are they getting? Do they snap back in late afternoon? If they're getting moderately limp during the middle of the day, with bright sunlight coupled with heat, that's natural. Squash plants have such broad leaves, they try to reduce the surface area available for moisture loss during bright, hot periods by shriveling up somewhat. As long as they look perky in the early morning and late afternoon, you're probably ok. Sometimes, the condition is actually made worse by doing the instinctive thing: watering them (it might temporarily reduce the wilting, but discourages the deep root growth which is the real solution).

During really hot periods around here, I'll drape cheesecloth over struggling plants in the middle of the day, which helps. One of this year's projects (hopefully) is the construction of framing over our main bed, which will support a 'roof' made of hardware cloth for hail protection, and will also allow us to easily cover the whole bed with shade cloth when needed.

[kinnisoj]

I'd love to have the stuff Wal-Mart has over their patio area! But I could only guess the cost. And were would you even find it?

[Maryann]

thanks for writing back! I have had a couple of bad days with the garden. Due to pests I think I am going to have to pull out a couple brussell sprouts. So late in the season for replacement. If I cut off the bad leaves will iy have a chance?

[Backyard Permaculture]

Now if any of you live in the Tucson, Benson, Tombstone, Bisbee or Sierra Vista Arizona area, do not read any further in this post!!!


I can tell you where to get super shade cloth FREE!

Go to your phone book and look up your local mom & pop Trampoline store. There they will repair and make new trampoline mats for people whose mats get damaged.

Ask them for any mats that are beyond repair, and that otherwise would be thrown in the garbage.

This is high quality sun resistent material and the few tears or ripped seams will not make it unusable for shading purposes.

[gardengirl72]

Great idea Fred. There is shade cloth available online as well, but I concur with Cowboy on this one.

[MoniDew]

we intentionally designed our beds with an upper frame, so that if any of them needed a shade cloth, we'd have a place to hang it from. we now have 2 beds that have shade cloth. I highly recommend that you try it on plants that are heat sensitive. It's made a HUGE difference in my Oklahoma, 100o at 9pm, in the shade, garden.

[nandmsmom]

The only time mine have done this, they had gotten attacked by squash vine borers. You would find part of the stalks of the plant near the dirt that looked like it had sawdust around it. It almost looks like my 4 year old had been playing with something to poke all the guts out of the stalks.

If this is what you have you can get a knife and cut the buggers out. Slice open the stem until you find a white slug, then squish the heck out of it. Then bury that part of the stem in more soil and hopefully it will re-root. I have about a 50% success rate with this. Usually I just plant more zucchini every month or so, since we have such a bad time with them around here.

[Computer Cowboy]

Great idea Fred. There is shade cloth available online as well, but I concur with Cowboy on this one.

Assuming I actually get around to it, I'll let you know how the 'hardware cloth roof' thing works out. I'm really tired of living in perpetual dread of hail every time the sky clouds up. The automatic shade cloth support would just be an added bonus.

By the way, thank you for creating such a marvelous site, and for being such an inspiration for those of us who are attempting to redefine our existence on the planet. You're an absolute gem.

[gardengirl72]

Thanks for your support Computer Cowboy!

[Aspen]

I believe that in companion planting that radish will deter squash vine borers.

[nandmsmom]

I believe that in companion planting that radish will deter squash vine borers.

Been there, done that, doesn't work. I've tried everything for those buggers, radishes, nematodes, remay cloth. Nothing works, so I just keep planting every month. If you can't beat em, join em.