Stop Zucchini Rot: Simple Rules for Late July

It«s time to harvest zucchini, but many gardeners may face an unpleasant surprise — fruits can start to rot, and not only the fruits but even the ovaries. In this case, losing the entire crop is not far off. Agronomist Lyudmila Shubina explained why zucchini may start to rot and their leaves turn yellow, and what to do to save the plants.

Why zucchini ovaries rot

Rotting of ovaries is not a rare occurrence, especially during temperature fluctuations. Most often, problems with ovaries are related to pollination or a deficiency of certain elements.

«In damp or too hot weather, bees work poorly, and pollen can become sterile. So it happens that an unpollinated ovary rots from the tip. Such ovaries need to be removed immediately and do the work of a bee. Pollinate female ovaries with male flowers,» advises Lyudmila Shubina, agronomist, candidate of agricultural sciences.

Often gardeners get carried away with fertilizing. Currently, organic and nitrogen fertilizers should not be applied. From them, the bush begins to fatten, developing a powerful leaf mass, while the ovaries inside such a plant begin to rot simply from dampness.

«The bush may drop ovaries due to a lack of potassium or boron. You can take fertilizers without nitrogen and feed once. In August, also water once with potassium monophosphate for the quality and taste of the fruits,» noted the agronomist.

Also, it is worth removing wilted flowers from the ovaries so that when they die, they do not infect the fruit.

Why zucchini rot

Already large fruits most often rot for other reasons: improper watering, fungal diseases, and excess nitrogen in the soil.

«Gardeners often like to run with watering cans and flood the beds. Plants don«t need that much moisture, even, for example, in June in the heat. It is necessary to reduce watering and loosen the soil so that rotting stops,» emphasized the specialist.

Zucchini can rot due to fungal diseases, for example, white or gray rot. In the first case, a white coating appears on the fruit, which quickly turns into mucus. When infected with gray rot, you can first notice brown spots that become covered with a gray coating.

Now, during active fruiting, only biological preparations can be used. They contain bacteria that easily destroy fungi and are safe for people and animals. For example, you can use “Fitosporin,” “Alirin,” “Sporobacterin.” Spray the bush in the evening, thoroughly wetting all leaves on both sides.

As with ovaries, overfeeding the bush with nitrogen leads to softening of fruit tissues, as well as poor ventilation. Fertilizing should be stopped. Also, slugs may start to feast on zucchini. These pests need to be repelled from the bush with special preparations or dust the plant with a mixture of tobacco dust and ash in a 1:1 ratio.

Why zucchini leaves turn yellow

Zucchini leaves can turn yellow for a variety of reasons. If only a few of the lowest leaves have lost color, there is nothing to worry about. They have exhausted their resource; they need to be carefully cut off.

«If there is a nitrogen deficiency, first the lower leaves turn pale entirely, and only then turn yellow, and so on in tiers,» explained Lyudmila Shubina. «New leaves will grow small. In this case, water with an infusion of fermented grass diluted 1 to 10. This will provide the necessary nitrogen.»

Improper watering can also provoke problems with roots, and then with leaves. If the roots begin to rot, then problems will start with the green mass, which will first begin to wilt, and only then lose color. In this case, stop watering, loosen the soil, and thin out the bush.

The bush may be infected with fungal diseases. With powdery mildew, a white coating appears on the leaves, after which they turn yellow and dry out. Downy mildew can also occur. With it, the leaf becomes covered with yellow spots that eventually turn brown.

It is necessary to spray the bush with biological preparations with bacteria. For example, you can use “Fitosporin,” “Alirin,” “Sporobacterin.” Treat only in the evening, thoroughly wetting all leaves on both sides.

What else to read about the garden and vegetable patch

Five best green manures for the vegetable patch: what to plant after garlic, onions, and other crops to get fertile soil.

Pick them green: when to harvest tomatoes in the greenhouse and in the garden — important rules.

Treating cucumbers: what to do with downy mildew, chlorosis, and other diseases — tips from an agronomist.