2 squash questions

[caroline7758]

1. Once they are hit by mildew, do squash stop growing?

2. Some of my Winter festival have got some kind of scab on the skin- anyone know what causes this?

[caroline7758]

[saddad]

1) Dunno but assume so...
2) No idea but Jeannine is around, she'll know...  :)

[Jeannine]

Yep, once the mildew hits the plant can no longer draw nourishment from the leaves,,pull them and store if hard(wipe with mild bleach solution)if you have very tiny ones use them as courgettes, even the really small ones are good this way.



Re the scabs.  Scab is a bad disease of squash, cukes, melons etc  the areas fast become sunken and open and the fruit starts to ooze.. nothing to do but chuck them..but.................... don't mistake what you describe as a scab with a bumpy warty lump. This is common to many types of winter squash and is part of their beauty. A picture would be good and I can tell you exactly what you have so panic not.

XX Jeannnine

[saddad]

See, I knew she'd know...  :)

[caroline7758]

Thanks, all, although I got a different answer via PM from another membersaying they will still grow after mildew hits!

Jeannine, the scabs certainly look like warts and there's no sign of oozing, somaybe they are ok. I picked quite a lot yesterday in case of frost anyway, so will probably get the rest out (or in) this weekend.

[Tulipa]

Hi Caroline,

My winter festival often have warty bits but they are nothing to worry about, they just peel away when you use them.  We are still here after a few years of warty festivals! ;)  Enjoy them.

T.

[chriscross1966]

The mildew tolerance goes with varity like it does with courgettes (it's prbably the same gene group) Winter Festival stood up to it quite well as did Hunter. Uchiki Kuri just collapsed. Wierdly it doesn't tend to matter for some varieties ....WF and UK had basaically finished by the time the mildew came along, Hunter needs its tolerance, the fruit were barely tennisball sized at the time....

chrisc