Squash leaves dying back ...... but is it a good thing?

[ourarka]

My winter squash have done brilliantly this year. Butternut and Winter Festival have loads of fruits ripening away, but recently powdery mildew has set in (almost inevitably). The leaves have started to wilt away, but I am wondering if this is a good thing? Presumably there is still enough to photosynthesise but this will clear the way for the sun to get through and finish the ripening?

[arronb]

Ouraka from my own experience I have found when this happens then the plant is no longer producing and it's at the end of it's production life.

The leaves begin to dieback paving the way for the fruits to start curing in the autumn sunshine.

Recently my courgettes pumpkins and squash have all started to do this (earlier than usual) and the fruit that is left on the latter two have started to ripen. I consider it a good thing as that way the fruits can ripen on the vine then you can test to see if they are ripe in a week or two, meaning a harvest is due 😀


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