Squash borers will come. I always take part of the vine further down the plant and root it. Giving it more rooting points along the vine seems to keep production away from die back. I sometimes just cut the infected part away once I know the plant has additional roots. Literally, just mound up a little dirt over any part of the vine and it will take care of itself. It wants to live, too. I've got borers--but more squash than we can eat, so I just get over the appearance of the vines. (We also perpetually have white mildew from our humidity). Last year I had considerable cucumber die back, but not until I canned three batches of cucumbers. For me---the earlier you get the squash in the ground, the better off you are to beat the bug attack. Then, when it comes, it is too hot, I've gotten all the harvest I can handle and my friends are sick of my food, too, and I'm ready for the break the die back gives me.

Such a simple answer---and I think you're right! I was getting so many cuc's for a while, I think I just missed these. But now production has slowed down to a virtual standstill! Is there anything I can do to get it moving again?? I did cut off the yellow ones yesterday... I will fertilize it today to see if that will jumpstart it. Thank you! Ann

I am not pleased with my Straight Eight Cukes either, but I seem to have a different problem, they are growing long and skinny to about 12 inches, then filling out unevenly so that I have a fat end and a skinny end. I suspect watering issues has caused the strange growth since we have had an unusually rainy summer here in New England. My first two ended up in the compost bin as they tasted horrible. How do yours taste? Maybe you'll need to harvest them smaller than the expected 8 inches you will get some edible ones? Rachel GrafixMuse's Garden Spot

If they're full size or larger, it's because they were left on the vine too long. If it's because the cukes are only inches long and begin to yellow from the blossom end, it's because of no, or incomplete, pollination.