Q.Cutting zucchini leaves
In the article I just read, there seems to be conflicting instructions.
First it says be sure to cut off the leaf at the base of the plant. Next it says to not cUT the stem as it could let pests in.
How do I cut off the leaf at the base of the plant without cutting the stem?
My plants are incredibly leafy and I need to remove leaves to improve air flow and to allow more sun to reach the zucchini.
You can definitely remove a leaf from a main stem without cutting the main stem. There can be multiple "stems" on a single plant, and they are usually the main branch of the plant from which the fruit will grow. The leaves will have much smaller "stems" of their own, and these are the ones that you want to cut. Leaf stems typically don't have the ridges on them that the main stems do.
If you just follow a leaf stem down until you reach the "parent" stem that it grew out of, cut it about a half inch or so ABOVE that main (parent) stem.
Hope this helps!
I'm guessing this is the article you read, but in case it isn't:
