GARDEN CAPSULE
The challenge: Your squash plants usually grow vigorously, full of promising little fruits. Then before you can pick a single one, the plant wilts, collapses and dies.
The solution: Blame squash vine borers, white worms that tunnel inside the stem. The worms get into the squash stem courtesy of eggs laid at the base of the plant by their mother, an orange and black moth that resembles a wasp.
The easiest way to thwart vine borers is to grow only squash in the species Curcurbita moschata, which includes both butternut winter squash and Italian climbing summer squash.
Pluses: The flesh of butternut squash is colorful and flavorful and butternuts are exceptionally good winter keepers. The fruits of Italian climbing squash are long, skinny and solid, with few seeds. The flesh is mild and sweet.
Minuses: Seeds of Italian summer squash are not usually available except by mail. Squash also faces another common threat in Midwest gardens: squash bugs. The adult bugs are resistant to insecticides. Best bet: Trap the large, dark-colored adults under small boards laid at the base of each plant; scrape off any copperish-colored egg masses on the undersides of squash leaves; and spray newly hatched light-gray baby bugs with insecticidal soap.
Sources: Butternut squash seeds are widely available wherever vegetable seeds are sold. Mail-order sources for Italian climbing squash include Trombetta from Renee’s Garden (888-880-7228, reneesgarden.com); Tromboncino from Territorial Seed Co. (800-626-0866, territorialseed.com); or Zucchetta Rampicante from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. (417-924-8917, rareseeds.com).