My zucchini have become lumpy. I'm used to nice smooth fruit so this is disconcerting. Some are more misshapen than others. They seem to taste just fine. Has anyone here any idea as to why the zucchini fruit are lumpy? Sue
Maybe cross-pollinated with a warty cucumber?
Do you have any catnip blooming nearby?
Bob
Does zucchini not like the mints?
Catnip is an alternate host for cucumber mosaic virus, which turns zucchini warty and lumpy, turns crookneck squash green, and eventually kill the plant. It's spread by cucumber beetles, and I suspect it's spread by bees from blooming catnip to blooming squash because my squash used to get it really bad as soon as the they were blooming the same time as catnip (catnip is a weed around here). I didn't grow squash for a couple of years and went on a catnip eradication campaign. Now I can grow squash again. Catnip still comes up in my yard, but I pull it up.
Peppermint, spearmint, and even catmint don't seem to be a problem.
Bob
Not that I'm aware of. I grew zucchini in the neighboring raised bed last year and didn't have this problem. Sue
No cucumbers. I raised beans and corn along with the zucchini this year. The insides of the zucchini look just fine - only misshapen. Sue
Well what do you know? Isn't that a heck of a thing. I had no idea! I'm glad we have no catnip and that the lemon balm is probably not a vector.
This year, we used row covers on the zucchini, to prevent bugs and disease spread, until we were assured of a great crop. I hand pollinated them (that was easy) until the covers came off. They are still going strong. Best crop ever.
Isabella
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