I Took Care Of My Neighbors Garden While They Were On Vacation. In The 7 Days They Were Gone, One Of The Zucchini Plants Went From

Question

looking healthy to yellow and brown leaves and rotted zucchini on the ends of small zucchini that had formed. There were bugs and ants all over the plant. What went wrong? The plants are on a deck well above the ground in grow boxes. Only one of the two zucchini plants had the bugs and ants all over it. The other zucchini plant was on the other corner of the deck and did well over the 7 days that I cared for it. My neighbor is coming home today and I feel bad that the one plant did not do well in my care. What can I tell my neighbor about treating the plant in this condition? Thank you.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Answer 1

The first photo looks like squash bug eggs and the ant-looking things are the nymphs, or newly hatched squash bugs. They can cause yellow leaves and distorted fruit. The bug in the last photo looks like a leafhopper. They pierce the leaves and suck out the juice.

These articles should help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/zucchini/solutions-for-common-problems-growing-zucchini.htm

https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/squash-bug

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/zucchini/vine-borers-zucchini.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/zucchini/yellow-leaves-on-zucchini.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/zucchini/zucchini-squash-diseases.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/zucchini/controlling-zucchini-insects.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/leafhopper-control.htm