Question:
My yellow Crookneck Squash grows about three to four inches long and then stops. The skin turns a darker color, and then they rot. They get lots of sun, and I'm watering daily. What am I doing wrong?Answer:
- You have a vegetable disease called Blossom End Rot.
- Blossom End Rot is a common, non-parasitic disorder that attacks tomatoes, peppers, melons, pumpkins, squashes, and cucumbers.
- With melons, squashes, and cucumbers, the immature fruit rot like you described with tomatoes and peppers brownish, tan blotch develops at the bottom of the fruits. They won't rot. They will mature and are edible.
- The application of high-nitrogen fertilizers that tie up the Calcium in the soil or a lack of Calcium is one cause. However, the primary reason is irregular watering and or wet soil.
- Overwatering is a significant problem with your plants. Blossom End Rot is problematical early on with squashes and cucumbers, while melons, tomatoes, and peppers show up mid-season and beyond.
- Except for a brief period, the April and May temperatures have been cool. We have yet to see any ninety-degree days, which is atypical.
- So, daily water is not advisable in our clay soils. The watering frequency varies depending on soil type, drainage, and temperature.
- Squash, cucumbers. melons and peppers are shallow-rooted and like to be kept moist.
- Tomatoes and Eggplants are watered less often because of their deep roots. On average, you should have been watering every three to five days.
- You extend the days between watering and insulating the roots with a one to two-inch layer of mulch.
- Gardeners are learning how much mulch matters regarding water conservation, weed reduction, and root insulation from the direct sun.
- Our weather does fluctuate from week to week, so should your watering schedule.
- Each spring, you should mix Agricultural or Oyster Shell Lime into the soil along with the traditional soil amendments. This will provide the necessary Calcium.
Question:
Our peach tree bears a lot of fruit; however, some will fall off before they ripen. Why is this occurring, and what do we do to prevent it?Answer:
- A certain amount of fruit drop is customary with Peaches, Nectarines, Apples, Pears, and Plums. It's called the 'June Drop.'
- The 'June Drop' is Mother Nature's way of balancing the fruit load on the tree. It's essential to supplement this by doing some additional hand thinning.
- With Apples and Pears, you must thin the fruit clusters down to two or three fruits.
- Also, I'd completely remove those clusters on the outer third of the branches to prevent the limbs from breaking from the weight of the maturing fruit.
- Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, and Apricots are thinned, leaving enough space between them for each fruit to develop without touching. The space should equal three to four times the size of the mature fruit. Also, you can have fruit maturing on both sides of a branch.
- Fruit tree thinning is essential to prevent limb breakage and improve fruit size and quality.