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Pumpkins, Squash & Gourds

small holes in fruit, rotten squash on vine

13 years ago

I have big beautiful healthy bright green plants so I don't think that it's vine borers, but my small zukes and yellow squash have been rotting on the vine. Today I went out to find my biggest, healthiest yellow squash mushy and leaking milky water. Upon inspection I found several small holes (pinhole sized) in the fruit. I spoke to a man at the farmer's market just yesterday before having discovered the holes and he said it might be melon flies. Does this sound like what it would be? How do I save my babies?

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Comment (1)

lwn432
13 years ago
Once the fruit has been attacked, they are pretty much goners. You need to prevent attack by spraying the plants with a fruit insect spray. Permethrin or sevin should work for melon flies. Spray in the morning before the blooms open or in the evening after they close, else you can harm the bees.

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