courgette and squash mould and yellowing

[loudoodles]

Hello, this is my very first post on a forum.
I have a raised bed with 3 courgette plants, 2 butternut squash and 1 patty pan. The courgette plants were planted out beginning of May, they have been great croppers but started turning mouldy towards end of July so I cut back the lower mouldiest leaves. The squash plants were doing really well and then around first week in August they turned yellowish in parts, they are producing squash but they grow to about 2 1/2 inches and then yellow and shrivel up.
Is it possible the mouldy courgette plants are affecting the squash plants? I did have a problem with ants farming aphids on the courgettes.
I'd welcome any advice.

[Zenithtb]

I suspect this thread is relevant: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eas_60218.html

[Two_Sheds]

No, mould and powdery mildew are completely different. PM causes white powdery dust all over the leaves.

You're courgettes are mouldy and rotting because they're overwatered, primarily. If the whole plant is turning yellow, they're probably dying. You may have a problem with the roots: something eating them or they're waterlogged.

Are you feeding them? They need a high potash food if your soil isn't rich enough as it is.

If it's not overwatering, get back to us with a photo

[taff]

sounds like your squashes aren't being fertilised either. which parts of it are yellowing? The leaves? the stem?

[gojiberry]

You don't say how big your raised bed is. For six plants of that family it would have to be fairly big, so I am guessing that the problems have been caused by overcrowding. It could be that the squashes are crowding out the courgettes.

Ian

[Florence Fennel]

It does sound like a combination of overcrowding and overwatering so could you take out the worst of the plants and let the others dry out a bit? Welcome to the Vine by the way!

[Two_Sheds]

For six plants of that family it would have to be fairly big

Yep, you need to allow about 1 square metre for each plant

[buzzingtalk]

Yep, you need to allow about 1 square metre for each plant

Whoops! I have 8 plants in about 4m across...seem to be doing fine so far but they are very spoilt and trained in neat spirals. they are a nightmare though and next year I will grow not so many