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Vegetable Gardening

Spagetti Squash Cracking

10 years ago

Three out of my 20 or so spaghetti squashes have cracked longitudinally on the vine. All three are of intermediate size, not the big yellow ripe ones nor the little new ones only a few inches long. Is it too much water? One of these plants seems to really struggle on hot days and really wilts under the direct sun. Any ideas.

Thanks

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Comments (3)

digdirt2
10 years ago
The only time I have had this happen to me is when I'm having difficulty maintaining consistent soil moisture levels. For ex: heavy periods of rain following really dry hot weather.

Like many other fruit I think the fruit tends to shrink somewhat during hot, dry weather if i don't keep it watered well enough and then swell when the heavy rain comes along and split.

But I have noted that unless the crack is really wide it will heal and scar over. If the fruit looks like it isn't going to heal and if there are any signs of mold setting in in the crack then I go ahead and harvest that squash and eat it before I lose it completely.

If heavy rains haven't been an issue then try stabilizing the moisture to that particular plant better - mulching, deeper but less frequent watering, etc.

I should add this has been with butternuts since I haven't grown spaghetti for many years. But I would think the same points would apply to spaghetti.

Dave
oldkugirl
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks digdirt, that sounds pretty reasonable. I'll cut off the water for a day or so and hope they scare over. One other thing I forgot to mention is that I gave them a little miracle grow yesterday. Do you think that may be related in some way? Would spraying the cracks with a little hydrogen peroxide be helpful?
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oldkugirl
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks digdirt, that sounds pretty reasonable. I'll cut off the water for a day or so and hope they scare over. One other thing I forgot to mention is that I gave them a little miracle grow yesterday. Do you think that may be related in some way? Would spraying the cracks with a little hydrogen peroxide be helpful?

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