Q. This is the second year I’ve planted squash in my garden. Last year we did nothing special to the soil, and the plants died. Just the squash. This year we added potting soil and humus to the soil and they are already starting to die. They have only been in the ground for a week. They are in full sun like the directions indicated. What am I doing wrong? Is there anything I can do to save them?
A. What condition were the squash in when you received them? Were they in a greenhouse environment? What is the weather like in your garden? Squash are a very tender plant, and must be hardened-off (acclimated to the outside) for two or three days before being transplanted into your garden.
Nothing needs to be done to the soil to grow squash successfully. Using the Mittleider Magic natural mineral nutrient formulas will give you good healthy squash plants in any soil.
However, unless it is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime and doesn’t go much below 60 at night, they will not do well. They like warm weather, and people waste their time, effort and money when they plant squash and melons too early in their growing season.
