Picking the Fruit
Pick summer squash when they are under 8 inches long, or 6 inches wide for the scallop-shaped varieties. Larger fruit may be tough and less flavourful, and inhibit the growth of newer, smaller fruit.
Common Squash Pests and Remedies
Blossom End Rot (BER) - Fruits rot from the blossom due to highly acidic soil and/or a lack of calcium. Apply dolomite lime in your vegetable garden every spring. For immediate effect, a careful application of quicklime may be used - too much can burn the plants and render the soil far too alkaline. Quicklime is sold at garden stores; ask for explicit directions at the time of purchase.
Powdery Mildew - Control this white growth on leaves by avoiding overhead watering. If problem persists spray with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in 1 litre of water with a few drops of fish fertilizer, phosphate-free soap, or safer's insecticidal soap added. The soda contains sulfur, and the fish fertilizer acts as a fixative.
Thrips - These tiny blonde insects eat pollen from the squash and cucumber blossoms. Heavy infestations can cause fruit to be stunted and deformed. Pick off all flowers and spray plants and the surface of the soil with Safer's insecticidal soap. If the problem persists replant away from other flowering plants (gladioli are fine).
Cutworms - In early spring the larvae eat the plants so collar them with cardboard strips or use BTK, a biological pesticide.
Additional Information:
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