Well, my zucchini never survive past the first wave of squash bugs, so I have no advice there. But my favorite tomato is Cherokee Purple. SO GOOD -- and I don't even like tomatoes that much. Cherokee Purple tomatoes are amazing. I can't grow them any more, since all the squirrels in GA were coming here to eat.

My zuccini and summer squash always succumb to vine borers eventually, however I like Pattisons. I love many heirloom tomatoes and have been growing several varieties for many years, but enjoy trying new types too! Cherokee Purple is a big fave here too. It makes the BEST toasted tomato sandwiches. We only grow heirloom melons and watermelons and like them all, pretty much except for the Japanese type (which taste more cucumberish).
I grow angled gourds to eat instead of zuccini during the heat of summer. They ARE prolific and are vines, and I like to grow things vertically.
I only plant heirloom beans, pretty much any and all kinds (for both fresh and dry beans including tepary beans just in case it's dry out!) also lots of cowpeas and limas.
I do grow a few non-heirloom tomatoes for specific characteristics of the tomato (some dry better, some freeze better, some can better etc) some hybrid asian veg for fall/winter/spring but the rest are OP Heirlooms!

This is great! I planted Cherokee Purples this year and haven't gotten any yet, but they are growing. We have a run-of-the-mill zucchini plant my husband bought at Home Depot that has produced two zucchinis so far, one small and one huge. So not prolific either...!

I planted my veggies and tomatoes this year from seed for the first time ever, and it is so much fun watching them grown, so I am also looking for a better variety of plants for next year!

We are using Black Beauty from home depot and the plants are huge but we have only gotten 3 veggies from 2 plants, they were planted in the 2nd week in April. Not much luck here either. I too am learning as to what are the better yielding plants. I have some Butternut squash that I only planted in May and they are already producing veggies, have about 6 squash from 3 plants non bigger then 3 inches long but they are growing fast considering they just popped up over the weekend.

Hey Everybody, thanks for all of the info.

In reference to tomato, I have two Cherokee Purples I sprouted from some seed a little late this year. I'm hoping to put them in around the 15th, so now I'm really looking forward to having some Cherokee purples late in the season due to your descriptions!
To anyone having trouble with squash vine borer, squash bug, or cucumber beetle, the costata romanesco has extremely prickly, thick stems that aren't too susceptible to the borer and it produces pretty well just not prolifically. I also swear by an application of Neem oil to both the soil and the plant at night every 10 days along with a sprinkling of diatomaceous earth around squash and cucumber (on the soil, not the plant) of all types. It keeps bugs from getting on and laying eggs early and late in the plants life cycle. I only see these pests once in a while due to the neem and d. earth and, when I do, I use the plank method (squash em' between two board;-)

Oh, Group Girl, do you know the variety of angled gourd that you grow? I just saw one called honey sponge or something like that on-line, but I couldn't find much out about the plant/vegetable itself.
Thanks!
Stella

I had zucchini last year (just regular variety) and it was destroyed by vine borers. I was ready this year. First I swatted and killed two adult moths. Then I did use neem around the base of the plants to kill any eggs there. I've also heard (in the Veggie forum) that the eggs can be on the leaves and stems. I don't see any. I think I've passed the borer for now. Yesterday I found either stink bug or squash bug eggs on three leaves. I just pulled off the leaves and put them in the garbage (I first sprayed the eggs with pam, LOL).

I am hoping with constant vigilance I can keep my squash all summer. We just had some grilled and it was great.

Mark, are you hand pollinating your squash, or do you rely on bees or other polinators? I get a lot of bees and ants that are in the flowers all the time. But if you don't try self pollinating and you can increase your yield.

No I am not, I am letting the bees do the work. I planted 6 more about 5 weeks ago and so far no buds from them but my yellow straightneck are already producing have 3 plants that have 1 veg each. I have gotten 8 from the 2 orig plants now. don't know if that is good or not.

Stellabee, I grow the kind from Baker Creek. Looks like the one called Bonanza. Honey Sponge will be fine too.