Topic: lower leaves on a few squash plants going yellow

[RenishawPhil]

We are growing squash in manure baths and heaps etc. A number of their lower leaves are going yellow. It is just the lower ones though.

I am thinking it is either nitrogen diffency or to wet.

Now the manure just feel rather moist.underneath(not soaking though) The plants seem to be growing well though.

Should I just let the manure dry out and add a bit of grow more

[RenishawPhil]

Sorry i should have stated its actually various leaves on the plants not just the lower ones

Ive given them a liquid feed.

If they have gone yellow through lack of nitrogen/to much water will they recover?

Does anyone else get this problem with sqaushes, i realise they are hungry feeders but thought being in manure they would have plenty of nitrogen.

[Linnea]

looks to me like they got a bit chilly? when did they get planted out?

[RenishawPhil]

They have been out about two weeks BUT until Sunday they have all been under mini polytunnels.

[Chrispy]

Mine have gone like that when I planted them out when the soil was too cold, but I am asuming it is not that as you are probably getting a lot of heat from the manure.

I would not say not enough nitrogen, maybe too much, or maybe the manure is too acid.

[goodlife]

Did you plant them straight into manure or is there any soil/compost in the planting hole?
My feeling is that you could do scraping some of the manure off near the plant and the rootball...and replace it with multipurpose compost..that would balance some of the 'acidity' in the manure and thus allow the plant to use the nutrients up from the manure. Once they are 'up' and running they are able to handle the manure..but as young plants they need to get their feet in first..the compost they've been raised in (I assume) is very different to the manure.

[Digeroo]

Yellow fruiting varieties tend to have yellow leaves.

[RenishawPhil]

Agh!  Think it could well be the acidity ! As the ones that are doing really well were planted in some compost first. The yellowing ones that are going a bit yellow were popped straight in...

I don't wish to disturb the plants to much so could I add some lime to the manure and apply it as a liquid mix..?.

If they don't make it I've got 3 of those blue mushroom trays full of various squash plants so ill replace the bad ones and add some soil in with the root ball.

[cornykev]

You shouldn't really be mixing manure and lime, as Good life said scrape away the manure and replace with compost.   ;D

[RenishawPhil]

You shouldn't really be mixing manure and lime, as Good life said scrape away the manure and replace with compost.   ;D

Even though they have been in for about two weeks?. Won't that disturb them to.much? I may just replace the worst ones with fresh plants and add compost/soil in.

[goodlife]

If there is ammonia present in the manure..lime will react with it resulting even more unhappy plants. That is why I recommended the multipurpose compost..although it has the 'same' lime in it..it will be more 'gentle' way of adding into the manure. You don't have to disturb the roots themselves..just take some of the manure off the surface and once you start watering the compost..'stuff' from it will slowly work itself down.
Otherwise you plants look perfectly healthy..it just looks like the growing medium needs slight adjustment to get the colour of the leaves healthy.

[RenishawPhil]

Thanks ill give it a whizz tomoz:).

[goodlife]

Hmm..soil don't have that amount of lime in it..soil would have been better used at the bottom of the planting hole.
You don't have to use much of compost..about inch layer on surface arount the rootball...unless you have whole field full of squashes.. :-X But if you don't need compost otherwise...scrape some of the manure off the surface (around the rootball), replace it with soil...give it a light dusting of lime AND fish, blood and bone meal (unless you've used it when you planted your plants)..other alternative is using John Innes base mix that is similar mixture (used as fertilizer base for multipurpose compost).  The fertilizer is there to supply all round nutrients for balanced growth that manure is not able to provide..or I should say, with manure it is always bit quessing 'game' if it can provide or not.
Remember to water the lime 'in'.

[RenishawPhil]

I think ill go with the fish and bone meal idea:)

Yes we have planted about 60 squashes. We have about 5 baths full of manure then the rest in heaps.  Will put the remaining ones in normal soil, as the allotment is divided into good half and bad half.

[Jeannine]

I would dig them up and replant them  with compost iin the hole, they are not very big and should be just fine. Squash often loose the older leaves when they are planted out especially if early, they nay sulk for a while but they will pick up if the soil conditions are more favourable for young plants.

XX Jeannine

[RenishawPhil]

I would dig them up and replant them  with compost iin the hole, they are not very big and should be just fine. Squash often loose the older leaves when they are planted out especially if early, they nay sulk for a while but they will pick up if the soil conditions are more favourable for young plants.

XX Jeannine

thanks Jeannine:)

[brownowl23]

im having the same problem with a giant pumpkin. He's not out in the soil yet only in a multi purpose compost, he's one of a pair and the only difference is that ive left him outside overnnight a couple of nights. So my assumption is he's got a bit chilly, so he's back in the porch now of a night