Dying Zucchini - I beg of you, please help me

[drewyyz]

Hello,

Totally new to gardening and I would really appreciate your advice

I'm growing a zucchini in a pot. I've noticed some leaves turning yellow and then they get brown spots on them (see pictures). The brown spots were crunchy. I've cut off those leaves, but now the edges of the remaining leaves are turning dark brown. The brown is just starting on the edges, if you look really closely in the pictures you can see. I think there is also some white stuff (powdery mildew)? But it's very, very little white stuff. I'm mainly concerned about what's making the leaves so yellow and brown! I've already cut quite a few off or they have died... Is this plant a goner?

I think my watering is adequate and I never let the put get dry, but at the same time, it is never soaking, dripping wet. There is good drainage at the bottom.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Tetters]

Welcome to the forum @drewyyz .
Firstly, I cannot pretend to be an expert on growing zucchinis, however, I have noticed that your plants look much like the ones I have seen elsewhere. I think these are rather prone to a bit of white mildew, and the yellowing leaves might suggest that they could do with a feed. We use tomato feed on ours.
I wonder if the heat can get to the plants and make the leaves brown? The important bit will be the fruit the plant has. Last year some of our plants looked awful, but the zucchinis were great.
I think I may have watered ours a bit too much this year, because some of the little fruit have rotted at one end
I reckon sometimes it is the plant itself that you will get the best answer from - watch how it behaves, act accordingly, and learn from the results .... all good fun, and practice makes perfect
Please let us know how you get on

 

[drewyyz]

Welcome to the forum @drewyyz .
Firstly, I cannot pretend to be an expert on growing zucchinis, however, I have noticed that your plants look much like the ones I have seen elsewhere. I think these are rather prone to a bit of white mildew, and the yellowing leaves might suggest that they could do with a feed. We use tomato feed on ours.
I wonder if the heat can get to the plants and make the leaves brown? The important bit will be the fruit the plant has. Last year some of our plants looked awful, but the zucchinis were great.
I think I may have watered ours a bit too much this year, because some of the little fruit have rotted at one end
I reckon sometimes it is the plant itself that you will get the best answer from - watch how it behaves, act accordingly, and learn from the results .... all good fun, and practice makes perfect
Please let us know how you get on

Thank you so much for the help. I'm such a newbie so all help is great. I only have 20-20-20 fertizlier right now. Is this ok? I can also buy 15-30-15 or 9-16-16. Which would be the best? I have peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots and onions and ideally would like to only use one fertizlier on all of them. I've head the lower nitrogen/higher middle number is better for more fruits.

I already picked 4 zucchini from it, but I did notice that some of the female zucchini didn't grow. Perhaps poor pollination because the weather in Toronto has still been weird. I also just noticed two baby zucchini with rot at one end. Is that because too much water?

Also, I could plant it in the ground. Would it do better in the ground? Or is it too late to transplant? Thank you so much

 

[Tetters]

Ours are in very big pots with peat based compost. It would not be a good idea in my opinion to move the plant now it is so matured. We use seaweed fertiliser for all our veggies

I`m not sure about the number system you use there.
Maybe someone on the forum like @Chuck would offer you a bit more advice?
As I said before I am NO expert, but whatever you do, enjoy your growing experiences, and don`t panic

 

[headfullofbees]

The powdery mildew is easily dealt with (spray affected leaves with milk diluted 8 times with water. It won't save already affected areas, but will prevent spread)
It looks, although I can't be certain, that overwatering (quite mild, but effects building) has sluiced out much of the soil's nutrition and you now have a combination of problems

Thank you so much for the help. I'm such a newbie so all help is great. I only have 20-20-20 fertizlier right now. Is this ok? I can also buy 15-30-15 or 9-16-16. Which would be the best? I have peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots and onions and ideally would like to only use one fertizlier on all of them. I've head the lower nitrogen/higher middle number is better for more fruits.

I already picked 4 zucchini from it, but I did notice that some of the female zucchini didn't grow. Perhaps poor pollination because the weather in Toronto has still been weird. I also just noticed two baby zucchini with rot at one end. Is that because too much water?

Also, I could plant it in the ground. Would it do better in the ground? Or is it too late to transplant? Thank you so much

None of your fertilisers are any good, they are petrochemicals which will kill your soil.
Get some chicken manure pellets, or some well-rotted cattle manure and use that, and grow some Bocking 14 comfrey (sterile so it won't take over your plot) They are the best fertilisers for courgettes. Seaweed is excellent for the boosting fruiting, but doesn't have any nitrogen.

Courgettes rot at one end because of poor pollination.

 

[Tetters]

Well @drewyyz - now we know two of the best gardeners I can think of on here have put us right. Humble thanks both @headfullofbees ......and @Chuck.

 

[headfullofbees]

Well @drewyyz - now we know two of the best gardeners I can think of on here have put us right. Humble thanks both @headfullofbees ......and @Chuck.

That's a very generous compliment, not sure it's deserved in my case, this forum has some BIG hitters.
I just try to help where I believe that I can.