Columnists > Ellen Brown > AdviceSeptember 02, 2005

Zucchini Dying After Producing

By Ellen Brown
Q: Can you tell me why my Zucchini and Cucumber plants produce a few vegetables, then quickly die? The plant starts decaying from the bottom of the stem and rapidly progresses upward.

Thank you,
Mary from Indiana

A: Mary,

These symptoms sound like Verticillium Wilt, a soil-borne fungus that attacks the roots of both cucumbers and zucchini. This disease is often prominent after wet weather. Remove plants immediately to avoid spreading the disease. Because this fungus can over winter in the soil, it's important to keep rotating your plants. Before planting next year, select cultivars that are labeled VFN (Verticillium, Fusarium and nematode) resistant.

About The Author: Ellen Brown is our Green Living and Gardening Expert. Click here to ask Ellen a question! Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com

Answers

Read answers for this post below.

By (Guest Post) 09/06/2005

I had this same problem with both my cucumber (planted in a pot on my deck) and my zucchini (planted in the ground on the other side of the house) I used Sevin on both plants but they both died.

By
08/30/2005

One thing that I know can cause this is that insects get into the stem at the base of the plant. Check and if the stem is cracked open, spray with Malathion or Sevin, then cover the stem with fresh soil and water well. It also sometime helps to choose a few places where the vines are touching the ground to also cover a few inches with soil, and new roots will form at those places.
Harlean from Arkansas.

Related

Answer this Question

Your thoughts are welcomed and appreciated. Enter your answer here!

Answer:

Image Upload:

Add an image to your post! Click the "Browse" button above and select an image from your hard drive. Please only select gifs or jpegs. If you have any problems, please contact us.

  

facebook like arrowLike ThriftyFun on Facebook

Browse Topics

Over 80,000 tips, recipes, questions & crafts.

Ask a Question

Submit a question to the TF community.

Subscribe to ThriftyFun Newsletters!

Email: