Zucchini Squash Diseases: Common Diseases Of Zucchini Plants
One of the most prolific veggies is the zucchini. Just thinking of all the stuffed squash, zucchini bread, and fresh or cooked applications for the green, glorious fruits of this plant has my mouth salivating. Sadly, there are a few zucchini plant diseases that you need to watch for in order to reap that bountiful harvest. Treating zucchini diseases often starts with soil preparation, crop rotation, and a little pre-planning to minimize any potential issues.
Diseases of Zucchini Plants
Zucchini plants are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Provided with full sun, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter worked into it, and water, courgettes will faithfully produce fruit all summer long. In fact, you may be giving it to friends and neighbors because the plant produces more than you can eat. The only things that can diminish this rampant growth are zucchini problems like insects and disease. Zucchini plant diseases usually stem from an insect vector or fungal issues. Control of insect pests and cultural care are often the key to nipping zucchini squash diseases in the bud.
Fungal diseases
Squash leaves are notoriously sensitive to powdery mildew. This is one of the most common issues with zucchini and arises when leaves get moisture on them in warm weather, which doesn't dry off in a timely manner. This moist, warm environment allows the powdery mildew to flourish. Other common fungal diseases that affect zucchini include:
- Downy mildew is a fungal foliar disease that creates yellow spots on leaves.
- Leaf spot Septoria, which may overwinter in yard debris.
- Gummy stem blight and black rot are self-explanatory regarding their symptoms.
- Choanephora fruit rot grows on blossoms and developing fruit, destroying their edibility.
- Fusarium is a fungal disease that can attack many types of plants. Zucchini plants will wilt and die as the disease attacks the root system.
- Anthracnose also attacks many types of plants and spreads quickly in high humidity.
Many other fungi live in soil and persist for years, blossoming and infecting plants when conditions are optimum.
Viral diseases
Viral zucchini squash diseases are often transmitted to the plant from an insect when it feeds. The usual culprits are mites, aphids, scale, and thrips.
- Yellowed leaves may be a sign of a disease transmitted by aphids called cucurbit aphid-borne yellows luteovirus.
- Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder stems from a species of whitefly and produces yellow spots and reduced flavor on fruit.
- Squash mosaic virus comes from cucumber beetles and causes distorted, brittle leaves and warped unappetizing fruits. Zucchini mosaic virus is introduced by aphid feeding.
- Bacterial wilt is also introduced from cucumber beetles. Leaves yellow and the virus clogs the vascular system of the plant.
As with fungal diseases, viral diseases are also harbored in the soil and the pests that introduce them live in the dropped leaf and plant debris in the soil.
Treating Zucchini Diseases
To avoid many zucchini issues, practice crop rotation and clean up the previous year's debris, which may harbor disease and pests that transmit disease. Prevent insects that introduce viruses during feeding with insecticidal soaps or quick blasts of water. Remove the leaves that are infected with powdery mildew and other fungal diseases to prevent spread. Do not compost these, as some fungal diseases will persist. Choose disease resistant varieties of zucchini. Use copper dust or spray every ten days to keep many fungal diseases in check. Avoid watering the leaves of zucchini from above. This keeps leaves wet and allows fungal spores to bloom. Drip irrigation is more useful for target watering and to keep leaves in good condition.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free download of our DIY eBook "Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter".
Bonnie Grant is a professional landscaper with a Certification in Urban Gardening. She has been gardening and writing for 15 years. A former professional chef, she has a passion for edible landscaping.
-
4 Winter Composting Shortcuts To Fill Garden Beds In Time For Spring Planting
Discover quick, clever winter composting techniques to prep your garden beds and pots for spring planting. Reduce waste, enrich soil, and save time.
By Melanie Griffiths
-
Foraging Flowers: How To Forage Floral Plants – And Which Flowers You Can Pick For Free Edibles!
It’s fun to forage flowers, but it’s important to know the rules. Avoid areas that have been sprayed, beware of imposters and take only what you need.
By Tonya Barnett
-
Too Much Zucchini? Celebrate Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day On August 8th
When you have a bumper crop of zucchini, remember there’s a special day that invites you to stealthily put the excess on your neighbor’s porch. Really. Read on.
By Bonnie L. Grant
-
Golden Zucchini Plants: How To Grow Golden Zucchini In The Garden
Zucchini has been a garden staple for centuries. If you're a bit tired of the typical green zucchini, try growing golden zucchini plants. A twist on an old favorite with brilliant yellow color, the following article contains golden zucchini information.
By Amy Grant
-
Zucchini Plant Protection: Protecting Zucchini Plants From Frost And Pests
Zucchini is a generally easy to grow, reliably prolific producer - as long as you can keep pests away. Early frosts can also dash your hopes for zucchini bread and other squash treats. In the following article, we'll discuss how to protect zucchini squash from both.
By Amy Grant
-
Zucchini Leaves Turning Yellow: Reasons For Yellow Leaves On Zucchini
If you see the leaves on your zucchini plants turning yellow, don’t panic. Learn about the causes and ways to fix the problem.
By Amy Grant
-
How And When To Harvest Zucchini For Delicious Squash All Summer Long
It's not always easy to know when to pick fruits and vegetables, and zucchini is no exception. So when is zucchini ready to pick? Find out all the dirt on how and when to harvest zucchini in the article that follows.
By Amy Grant
-
Zucchini Plant Fertilizer: Tips On Feeding Zucchini Plants
Zucchini is one of the most popular summer squash varieties to grow in the vegetable garden. To get the highest yield of fruit, you may question "should I fertilize zucchini." The following article contains information on zucchini fertilizer requirements.
By Amy Grant
-
Zucchini Companion Plants: Best Plants To Grow With Zucchini
Are you wondering about companion planting or what grows well with zucchini? Gardeners can take advantage of several plants that are compatible with zucchini. This article will help get you started.
By Mary H. Dyer
-
Zucchini Blossom End Rot Treatment: Fixing Blossom End Rot On Zucchini Squash
While tomatoes are prone to blossom end rot, many types of squash are also susceptible, specifically blossom end rot on zucchini squash. What causes zucchini blossom end rot and is there any treatment? Learn more in this article.
By Amy Grant