Desperate help with dead zucchini, melons, squash in Central FL!

15 years ago

My first garden was last summer. I planted tomatoes, all sorts of squashes and peanuts. All the squashes died instantly - the zucchini, yellow squash, watermelon, cucumber, etc. I bought seedlings from the garden center and within 10 days, all were dead.

This time I bought seeds and decided to do my own seedlings. I grew the seedlings on the patio so I didn't have hardening off issues. I'm in zone 9B in Central FL. We have very sandy soil, but the Ph is good and we mixed in old manure over a month ago.

My tomatoes are doing great.

My corn looks fine.

The radishes look good.

My leeks look great.

I planted my zucchini and watermelon seedlings and the SAME THING HAPPENED! All dead within 10 days. What on earth is going on?

If you want to see before and after pics, I have them here on my gardening blog -

http://gardeningwithoutskills.blogspot.com/2009/04/gardening-sos-is-there-master-gardener.html

This isn't some pathetic ploy to get blog readers - LOL - I just really want some advice. All the pics are 800 pixels wide, so a bit much for this forum, but they're smaller on my blog if you want to see them.

I know FL soil is different than nothern soil - we have our own unique issues... I'm not sure if I should have posted this on the FL regional page.

Any ideas? Anyone?

Here is a link that might be useful: Dead plant photos on my gardening blog

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Comments (4)

daylilyfanatic4
15 years ago
I'dsay it's cutworms or damping off. try putting a loosering of paper around the base of the plant that should stop cutworms. see what happens and start some new seeds now you still have time.
tomncath
15 years ago
You need to post over at the Florida Forum, lots of folks there from the Orlando and Deland area that should be able to help out....
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mizadventure
15 years ago
I can't help with the reasoning (I'm pretty new to gardening...) but I do have some extra zucchini and squash and cucumber plants already started for the plant swap in Deland. They're in half gallon-ish size containers and have really taken off (Starting to form some closed blossoms). If you are interested and can't make it to the swap I would be happy to give you some and I'm sure the folks at the swap wouldn't mind a few less there for trade. If so just email me and we could set up a pick up or drop off. You probably do still have time to start anew if you wanted to. I'll be starting some melon/cuke and gourd seeds this weekend I just got in the mail from tomncath (Thanks Tom!) There are five varieties so let me know if you want to hear the types. Maybe try them in a container. Mine are in 5 gallon buckets, are doing great, and no cutworms or damping off.
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bella_trix
15 years ago
How rootbound were your transplants? From the size of the one surviving, they appear to be fairly large plants, too big in my opinion. How long were they growing in the pots? Were the pots small?

Squash (not sure about Watermelon) can be difficult to transplant from a pot into the garden. They are typically direct planted because they are so senstive to transplanting and do not like their roots disturbed. If you are transplanting, be extremely gentle with the roots (were you?). It is recommended to plant them in peat pots/newspaper pots and only rip the bottom off (gentley) at transplanting. Also, they should only be grown in pots for about 2 weeks, 4 week max.

As they are so sensitive to transplanting, your seedlings should be given extra protection when put in the garden. What time of day did you transplant? Did you give them any protection? You mention wind, which can be death to a plant. Your transplants will have the best chance if you transplant in the evening/on a cloudy day and then cover with an open milk jug or Remay row cover for a few days.

If you grew them for 8 weeks in little cups to a rootbound state, then plopped them in the ground on a sunny/windy day....well...gardening is all about learning! :) Don't feel bad! Just go tell your survivor plant what a strong little plant it is. You'll do better next year. Unless there is something I don't know about Florida (possible), you should still be able to directly seed your squash right in the garden.

Good luck!
Bellatrix

Desperate help with dead zucchini, melons, squash in Central FL!

Comments (4)

daylilyfanatic4

tomncath

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