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Old 05-11-2017, 08:44 AM
 
2 posts, read 1,927 times
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Hi there,
I started growing some zucchini in a little garden and besides my initial problem (that I started them inside too early and they grew so fast that the stems couldn't support the weight, the stem split and now hang over the side of the bucket like a hand with tons of fingers), but my problems are twofold.
First off, the plant is flowering like crazy with huge yellow flowers, and making tons of small finger sized zucchini, but none of them ever grow much bigger than that before turning yellowish. One or two got to be a almost pickable size but then seemed to soften up and then rot. I don't know if this something to do with not enough fertilizer but it's not my main question.
I also notice that on the zucchini that are growing, there are a few red spiders crawling on them, and I know these are NOT spider mites because they are much too big for that, have longer legs like a real spider, and they are not there in a quantity you would expect from mites. Is there a normal variety of spider that is pure red and patrols the plants eating another type of pest? Just wondering...

PS My cucumber did the same thing, grew too fast too early, fell over (instead of growing straight up) and now trails over the side of the bucket, along the ground, but at least I've gotten a couple of nice cucumbers off of it.

Thanks in advance for any words, information, or advice...
Jason Parker
Savannah, GA
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Old 05-11-2017, 09:03 AM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,313,949 times
Reputation: 49248
Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterJ40 View Post
Hi there,
I started growing some zucchini in a little garden and besides my initial problem (that I started them inside too early and they grew so fast that the stems couldn't support the weight, the stem split and now hang over the side of the bucket like a hand with tons of fingers), but my problems are twofold.
First off, the plant is flowering like crazy with huge yellow flowers, and making tons of small finger sized zucchini, but none of them ever grow much bigger than that before turning yellowish. One or two got to be a almost pickable size but then seemed to soften up and then rot. I don't know if this something to do with not enough fertilizer but it's not my main question.
I also notice that on the zucchini that are growing, there are a few red spiders crawling on them, and I know these are NOT spider mites because they are much too big for that, have longer legs like a real spider, and they are not there in a quantity you would expect from mites. Is there a normal variety of spider that is pure red and patrols the plants eating another type of pest? Just wondering...

PS My cucumber did the same thing, grew too fast too early, fell over (instead of growing straight up) and now trails over the side of the bucket, along the ground, but at least I've gotten a couple of nice cucumbers off of it.

Thanks in advance for any words, information, or advice...
Jason Parker
Savannah, GA
I don't have any idea but the other day, I was removing one of my containers from the garden. When I flipped it over there were all kinds of creatures underneith; we have had so much rain. I did spot something like you are talking about, it looked to me like a squash bug but was red. I would love to know what it was. I am sure in our case, the bugs have a lot to do with the rains we have had. I am not even trying squash this year. BTW, if they happen to be a type of a type of squah bug, you will continue to get those pretty blossoms and even small sqush, but the squah will just wether away before it matures
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Old 05-11-2017, 01:36 PM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,240 posts, read 80,460,275 times
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The squash shriveling up when 1-2" long is normally due to lack of pollination by bees. Mine are in a greenhouse and I do it by hand with a small artist's brush since bees may not come in. Lack of fertilizer doesn't affect the fruit, more likely over-watering, or inconsistent watering where it dried out too much then was watered. As for the spiders, normally a true spider (8 legs) will eat pests that threaten your plant, so are helpful. The Red House Spider is common, and are particularly partial to eating ants.
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Old 05-12-2017, 11:44 AM
 
2 posts, read 1,927 times
Reputation: 10
Default You both may have helped

Well, both of your ideas sound like good advice...They DO sort of look like squash bugs but red so that COULD be it..but...
I also hardly ever see bees around so that could be a lack of pollination too....and as far as the spiders loving to eat ants, I DO see several (not a ton) little black ants crawling around on the plants (all of them not just squash) so they could be red spiders hunting the ants... If it IS a lack of bee pollination, would that only affect the squash because as I said, the cucumbers produced two already nice cucumbers and there are a couple more coming in...and my green bell pepper just started it's first tiny pepper so I"ll hope for luck there. The zucchini has produced literally 20 or more that started nice and got to about 2-3 inches and then stopped or turned yellow...

Thanks so much for ideas! Maybe I'll try that brush pollination thing...
The only thing that makes me think it isn't squash bugs is that they are only on the one zucchini plant and not on the other zucchini plant that is sitting right next to it for some reason...
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