Squash plants splitting open with stuff in side - Ask Extension
Hello. My squash plants vines are splitting. There is stuff inside. The "stuff" resembles the inside of a cantelope but without the seeds. I ...
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Squash plants splitting open with stuff in side #661489
Asked July 08, 2020, 1:53 PM EDT
Hello.
My squash plants vines are splitting. There is stuff inside. The "stuff" resembles the inside of a cantelope but without the seeds. I cut off the sections with the split vines. There are still health vines and flowers on the remainder of the plants. I am not sure what to do. Thank you in advance for your help
My squash plants vines are splitting. There is stuff inside. The "stuff" resembles the inside of a cantelope but without the seeds. I cut off the sections with the split vines. There are still health vines and flowers on the remainder of the plants. I am not sure what to do. Thank you in advance for your help
Kent County Delaware
Expert Response
Splitting and dying squash stems may simply be
the result of strong winds or heavy production, or it might be evidence of a
serious pest problem. Squash plants have long, hollow stems, and the weight of
thick, lush leaves or a lot of large squash can stress the stems and cause them
to split. Although these splits aren't ideal, they typically won't kill the
plant. Take some soil and mound it around the stems up to the first batch of
leaves,
Squash vine borers are some of the most common squash pests. The borers make tiny cracks in stem bases that allow them to tunnel into the plant tissue and start feeding. Without intervention, those small entry cracks can turn into full-blown stem splits. Squash vine borers excrete an orange substance that looks like sawdust. You may see this orange frass falling out of tiny holes in the squash plant's stems. Use a sharp tool to carefully make a vertical slit just above a frass-filled hole and pull out the larva with tweezers. Cover the split area with moist soil to encourage new roots
Squash vine borers are some of the most common squash pests. The borers make tiny cracks in stem bases that allow them to tunnel into the plant tissue and start feeding. Without intervention, those small entry cracks can turn into full-blown stem splits. Squash vine borers excrete an orange substance that looks like sawdust. You may see this orange frass falling out of tiny holes in the squash plant's stems. Use a sharp tool to carefully make a vertical slit just above a frass-filled hole and pull out the larva with tweezers. Cover the split area with moist soil to encourage new roots
