Knowledgebase
3 questions about acorn squash #424451
Asked August 31, 2017, 10:34 AM EDT
Dear Master Gardener:
Attached are 2 photographs.
As inexperienced gardeners, we planted vegetables in our back yard floral bed. The squash were purchased as seedlings from a supermarket plant store on Memorial Day weekend. They were labeled as “acorn squash”. They were planted next to cucumbers and both plants thrived all summer. Recently, the cucumbers stopped producing and the vines died. This was preceded by a white substance on the leaves, so I assume the problem was powdery mildew. The squash were initially resistant, but now seem to have a similar affliction.
Questions:
1. Are these truly acorn squash and if so, do you recognize the variety?
2. Since they are not the solid green typical of acorn squash, are they ready for harvest? The stems have blackened and the skin is thick around the entire fruit.
3. Because the plants seem to be dying, is there anything to be done now to salvage immature squash?
Thank you for your advice.
Robert Nelson
Hastings, MN (Dakota county)
Dakota County Minnesota
Expert Response
http://www.yourgardenstarts.com/web_images/carnivalsquash_1_.jpg
Acorn, Carnival, Delicata and Sweet Dumpling
https://previews.123rf.com/images/jkunnen/jkunnen0810/jkunnen081000007/3685491-Acorn-Carnival-Delica...
If the stem is hard and the skin tough, the squash may be mature. Although it's usual to let them remain on the vine until frost threatens, if the vines are dead or dying there is nothing to be gained by doing that.
Squash and cucumbers are susceptible to powdery mildew and once the fungus is established it can not be controlled and the vines often decline rapidly. There is no way to salvage the immature fruits.
If the squash appear to be mature, they will probably be usable if you harvest them now but it's possible the quality will be below par.
