Squash plants

I've got a squash plant that is growing pretty well, and it has some pattapan squash fruit on it. I've noticed that during the part of the day that it gets the full hot sun that it wilts back, but when it gets the afternoon shade it perks back up again. I haven't seen any borer holes in the vine stems, either, and I've sprayed it with BT in case some worms do get to munching on it.

Is it normal for squash plants to wilt like that during the hot part of the day? It doesn't lack for being watered, either.

Reply to
Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl
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Yes, the leaf area can be too big for the water transport ability of the roots and stems even without borer damage when it is hot. You might improve it by mulching as this will slow the top of the soil drying out between watering.

D
Reply to
David Hare-Scott

Or provide some mid-day partial shade. This is one of those things that can vary a lot with latitude. As you get closer to the equator, many crops benefit from some shade in the middle of the day, and may actually grow better if under a not-too-dense tree canopy - or shadecloth, for a quicker and more easily changed/customized solution. The right trees may even get you two crops off the same land.

Reply to
Ecnerwal

If you are watering (irrigating) rather than just "there's plenty of water available" you could potentially set up mist nozzles and give the a shot of mist every once in a while through the hot part of the day. It will waste a considerable portion of the water to evaporation, but it will also provide some direct to the leaves.

Plus, mist nozzles are the neatest thing ever, and the plastic ones are quite cheap. Naan, for instance.

Shading (mentioned in previous post) will be more water-efficient.

Reply to
Ecnerwal

I do have a shade cloth that prevents the full mid day sun to hit this one plant, but it still wilts back because some of the sun hits the edge of the plant. I was going to plant some more squash seed out in the garden that gets full sun, but now I'm wondering if that is even a good idea.

Reply to
Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl

hmmm that's a good idea... thanks.

Reply to
Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl

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