straight neck squash

Question

Why does my squash fall over and break stems off? Am I giving them too much miracle grow? I fed about every 2 weeks.

Answer 1

Yes, fertilizing every couple weeks is a bit much. Generally this is not necessary, especially if you amended the soil at the time of planting. You may be getting an abundance of growth from an overload of nitrogen, which may actually limit your squash production. In the meantime, if you need help supporting your large plants, I would simply place a trellis at the base of the plants and gently take some of the vines and place them along the trellis to direct their growth onto the support. When they set fruit, just tie the fruit in a cloth hammock (I like to use panty hose) to the trellis to provide extra support.