My latest gardening "issue" is that some of the huge leaves on my zucchini
plants have "dirty" spots. It looks like they were splashed with dirt...but
it's not dirt. I am growing these in EARTHBOXES, so the soil should be OK
and the fertilizer situation should also be right. Any ideas?

Oh and for what it's worth, each plant has 4-5 zucchini on them and the
fruit seems OK. Looks like I might be able to pick my first one in about
7-10 days.

"D.D. Palmer" wrote in message
...
My latest gardening "issue" is that some of the huge leaves on my zucchini
plants have "dirty" spots. It looks like they were splashed with
dirt...but it's not dirt. I am growing these in EARTHBOXES, so the soil
should be OK and the fertilizer situation should also be right. Any ideas?

Check the stem close to the ground and see if there is a bad spot with
some stuff ozzing out. Could be a cucomber borer.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

What's THAT?

"Mel M Kelly" wrote in message
...
Check the stem close to the ground and see if there is a bad spot with
some stuff ozzing out. Could be a cucomber borer.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

It's a wormy thing that chews into the main stem near the soil line. By
doing so, it destroys the plant's means of drawing up water. The plant
begins to sag, as if it needs water. You water, but it makes no difference,
and the next day, it's dead. Some years, it doesn't happen. This pest is a
good reason to keep mulch a foot away from the plant on all sides.

"D.D. Palmer" wrote in message
news
What's THAT?

"Mel M Kelly" wrote in message
...
Check the stem close to the ground and see if there is a bad spot with
some stuff ozzing out. Could be a cucomber borer.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

I don't think that's what's going on. I am growing these in an EARTHBOX on
my deck, about 10 feet off of the ground.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
It's a wormy thing that chews into the main stem near the soil line. By
doing so, it destroys the plant's means of drawing up water. The plant
begins to sag, as if it needs water. You water, but it makes no
difference, and the next day, it's dead. Some years, it doesn't happen.
This pest is a good reason to keep mulch a foot away from the plant on all
sides.

"D.D. Palmer" wrote in message
news
What's THAT?

"Mel M Kelly" wrote in message
...
Check the stem close to the ground and see if there is a bad spot with
some stuff ozzing out. Could be a cucomber borer.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

I didn't say that was what was going on. I simply responded to your question
about borers. :-)

And, the fact that you're capitalizing EARTHBOX repeatedly would seem to
indicate that you want us to think it's somehow isolated from certain garden
problems. It is NOT. You said the "soil should be OK" and the "fertilizer
situation should also be right". Why???


"D.D. Palmer" wrote in message
...
I don't think that's what's going on. I am growing these in an EARTHBOX on
my deck, about 10 feet off of the ground.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
It's a wormy thing that chews into the main stem near the soil line. By
doing so, it destroys the plant's means of drawing up water. The plant
begins to sag, as if it needs water. You water, but it makes no
difference, and the next day, it's dead. Some years, it doesn't happen.
This pest is a good reason to keep mulch a foot away from the plant on
all sides.

"D.D. Palmer" wrote in message
news
What's THAT?

"Mel M Kelly" wrote in message
...
Check the stem close to the ground and see if there is a bad spot with
some stuff ozzing out. Could be a cucomber borer.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

The moth that lays the eggs of a nite don't care how high they are. I
use BT on the stems of mine up until July when the moths are done. I
know what is BT. It is emzine that kills catrpilers. You can get it at
any big garden store, great for keeping tham off of cabbage also.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

Mel M Kelly wrote:
Check the stem close to the ground and see if there is a bad spot with
some stuff ozzing out. Could be a cucomber borer.

Yes. Squashes and cucumbers are likely to get borers. I usually
sprinkly a little rotenone around the new plants and later on, along the
stems.

If you do get a borer, you'll see orange stuff like sawdust. Take a
pocket knife and split the stem until you find and kill the borer. If
you bury the stem at the split, it may send out roots from that point.