I always had nice cucumbers, squash and pumpkins. The last two years the vines rotted off from the ground up. What should I do?
There are several stem rots that can cause these plants to wilt, yellow and rot at ground level. Move these and other vine crops to a new planting location in full sun with well-drained soils. Always grow the most disease resistant cultivars available. Bacterial wilt can cause cucumbers, muskmelons and less often pumpkins and squash to suddenly wilt and die. Remove infected plants and controlling the cucumber beetle that spreads the disease. Use fine mesh netting to keep the insects out or treat with an insecticide. An insect called the squash vine borer can also cause squash and pumpkin plants to wilt and die. The adult moth lays its eggs at the base of young plants. The eggs hatch and the larvae eat their way into and up through the stem. If discovered, slice the stem lengthwise. Kill the borer and bury the stem in moist soil. It will usually re-root and continue to produce. Keep the insects off the plants by covering the whole plant with a fine woven netting or row cover fabric. The covering will also keep out the bees. You will need to pollinate the flowers with a small paintbrush once they form. Insecticides can be used to prevent the problem. Treat the base of the plant and runners when the plant begins to vine out. You will need four to six weekly applications. Look for and use more eco-friendly insecticides whenever possible. Be sure to read and follow all label directions carefully.