GA: 2 zukes are wilting!!! SVB? ==> Update: No, not SQB!

Feels early for SVB but maybe not... I'll cut open the stems once they're fully gone, to see.

Update on August 1st:  Pulled one of those plants and inspected the stem -- not seeing any SVB evidence.  There was, however, a squash bug on it.  Pretty sure it was some type of disease, which is supported by the leaves not actually having gotten wilty as when it's SVB, but rather drying/dyring in a curled/crispy way.  Haven't pulled the second affected plant yet bec it's still hanging on for now...

Uncovered backyard zukes

The four backyard zukes, which had been covered until now, are looking wimpy and I haven't been feeling like checking for flowers etc.  So, what the heck, I decided to just remove the cover and que sera sera.

GA: All zukes are now un-covered

Decided to remove ALL of the covers from the GA zukes, even the ones that aren't close to producing.

Several have been uncovered for a few weeks now.  Have seen definitely cucumber beetles and a few squash bugs.  I haven't been spending tons of time checking for insects like I did last year but do check every now and then and remove.

FOY / GA: First zuke of the year harvested

Several of the GA zukes are looking great and harvested the first zuke today.  None of of the four backyard zukes are though -- all looking pretty puny.

Uncovered the two scallopinis (yard)

Not because too big (though they are huge), but because they put out so many male flowers that stay open for multiple days, that I just can't be bothered to check every day to see if any females are there yet.

GA: Oh no!!! A 2nd zuke lost! (presumably borer, but not pulling it quite yet) --> NOT the borer

Egads!!! The most productive plant has wilted!  This makes a second plant lost!  I'll leave it for a few days to finish ripening what it has.  I didn't check the stem closely because whatever (but will check it out when I pull it to see if it's SVB).

--> Update on August 1st 2025:  Pulled it today after harvesting its last two zucchinis.  There were some squash bugs on it, and found at least one or two borers in leaves/stems, but the main stem seemed clear of borers.  So, I'm guessing it died of some type of disease transmitted by the squash bugs and/or cucumber beetles, rather than SVB.

GA: No longer removing squash bugs / cucumber beetles, will see what happens

Yes, I've decided the plants are big enough and que sera sera.  Let's see what happens!

GA: All temporary covers now removed (zukes, butternut, watermelon)

 All temporary covers now removed (zukes, butternut, watermelon).  I'd been doing it gradually over the past few weeiks.

I've decided I'm just not going to do the insect check with the butternut at all -- it's on its own.  Watermelon too probably.

(The permanent covers are still over the potatoes, broc/kale/chard, onions, and leeks -- these covers won't come off at all.)

GA: Oh no!!!! A zuke plant looks struck by SVB already!?!?!?

Oh no!!! Can it be the SVB?!!  It feels like only a week or two that I took the cover off.  But overnight the plant is all wilty, not due to lack of water.  The strange thing is I can't find a point of entry on the stem.  Oh well, I'll wait until it's totally kaput, then will have a closer look when I pull it out.

Round 2 squash (winter/summer) started, to fill in gaps

Started just a few more summer/winter squash in case the ones that haven't germinated yet, don't.

Started cukes, summer squash, winter squash, and watermelon

Started these in PT:

- Blacktail Mountain watermelon x 9 seeds

- Eureka cucumber x 10 seeds

- Waltham butternut squash x 9 seeds (these are all old seeds from the foil packet, to used them up before using the newer seeds)

- Scallopini x 4 seeds

- Yellowfin zucchini x 4 seeds (first time trying this variety)

- 8 Ball zucchini x 4 seeds

- Golden Glory zucchini x 4 seeds

- Dark Green zucchini x 4 seeds (first time trying this variety)

Removed tulle from rest of the zukes which aren't doing well anyway

Yeesh, another bit of a measly year for the backyard zukes -- after the initial flush, they just petered out and don't look like they're doing much of anything -- the females are dying before even opening.  So, removed the tulle today and will let them live out their days.

So many bees loving the scallopini flowers! SVB seen resting on a scallopini!

So many bees loving the scallopini flowers!  That's a fun part with not covering!

Saw a SVB resting on a scallopini leaf!  Not going to bother inspecting for eggs, especially since these are all show, no grow.

Removed tulle from yard scallopinis bec too bushy

Come what may.  Who cares, these are still TONS of males, only a few rare females starting to appear.

Amended yard zukes and tomatoes with mrp, az, and kelp, plus some leaves (and some harvested buckwheat)

Last year I never did a mid-season amendment of the zukes, and they stopped producing early.  So, today I gave each of the yard zukes (/scallopinis) and tomatoes 1 Tbsp kelp, 1 Tbsp mrp, and 1 Tbsp azomite.  Then a handful of leaves from the basement from last year.  And plunked some harvested buckwheat here and there near the zukes (/scallopinis) (unchopped).

Zucchini FOS; scallopini all males still

Golden Glories are producing!  1st one from the yard today, and more to come from yard and GA.

The scallopinis on the other hand -- although they look fantastic -- vigorous and strong -- they're all males so far.

Several plants died in pots -- maybe the mix wasn't to their liking?

Writing this note late, but gradually over a period of a few weeks, several of the latest starts died in their pots.  Primarily watermelon, 8-ball zucchini, green zucchini, pink banana squash.  Golden Glory, cushaw, and butternut seemed fine.

GA: Here's what's tulled/"tulled": All of the squash, watermelon, cantalope, potatoes, leeks, cucumbers, most of the onions

I will use "tulle" loosely, to refer to any of the various netting I have, which now includes not only tulle but also shear curtains from the thfit store, and Proteknet from William Dam Seeds (the piece I bought was 14' by 25').

Of course, eventually the squash and cucumbers will need to be untulled -- goodness help me when that terrifying day comes!!!

GA: Big planting-out day -- part 1 (to be continued tomorrow)

The cool nights (<~12) seem to be over now, so planted out a bunch of things today.  Ran out of time, so will do the rest tomorrow.

Tonight these went in:

- Tomatoes (Damsel, Mortgate Lifter, Beefsteak, Big Beef Plus) (~10 plants)

- Ground cherries (~11 plants)

- Peppers (The ones I started at home, and the ones I bought at the store)

- Summer squash part one (more to be done tomorrow)

- Basil

Started in PT: cucumber, watermelon, cantalope summer squash, winter squash (forgot to buy butternut)

Started a bunch of seeds in PT today -- some of these will be for the yard, some will be for gaga:

- Cucumber:  Eureka

- Zucchini:  8-Ball

- Zucchini:  Golden Glory

- Zucchini:  Dark Green

- Summer squash:  Golden Scallopini

- Watermelon:  Blacktail Mountain

- Cantalope:  Hales Best Jumbo (from the foil packet collection)

- Winter squash:  Jumbo Pink Banana (used up the last of the foil packet seeds)

- Winter squash:  Cushaw White

I forgot that I didn't have any butternut squash seeds, so I will buy some and definitely grow that too.