Hey everyone! This is my first year growing zucchini, and I'm struggling a bit. I've noticed that the base of my stalks looks flattened and there's been some cracking. While two of my plants are doing okay, most haven't produced any fruit yet. I learned about vine borers and unfortunately found one of those gross, sluggy caterpillars in one of my sickly plants. I removed a few of these pests by cutting into the stems and buried the remaining part of the plants. Now my zucchini looks really wilty and sad. Has anyone experienced a similar situation, and can the plants bounce back after such drastic measures?
3 Answers
Last year I attempted to inject my zucchini stems with BtK weekly, and while I managed to grow them longer than previous years, they ultimately all succumbed. I noticed that the black zucchini varieties, like Raven and Black Beauty, survived better than the regular green ones. Maybe next year consider planting in succession, but it sounds like a real challenge. Just keep hoping those damaged stems root under the new dirt!
Yes, I've done something similar with my zucchini! After removing the vine borers, be sure to keep the plants well-watered and consider giving them a little fertilizer a few days later. They'll likely bounce back! I also make a homemade stink spray using garlic, onion, and peppermint oil to deter the bugs. Just mix, strain, and spray, but avoid the parts you plan to eat. Some people even wrap the stems in foil to block the bugs, but I'm not sure how effective that is. It feels like a constant battle, but hang in there!
I've heard that planting blue Hubbard squash nearby can deter vine borers since they seem to prefer them over zucchini. I'm nervous about the bugs finding my plants too! I may have to try that stink spray method. Good luck with your zucchini!