Cucumber Flower Buds/Squash Question

Ciao tutti! My cucumber finally bloomed two flowers today. I *think* they are male, but I wanted to ask to make sure, and what I should be looking for with female flowers:



I also had a question about my squash. They too have a bud on each plant about to open up, but I am concerned about the base of the plant. Is this anything I should be worried about? I've heard a little about the squash borer, and now I'm slighty terrified...

Hi There!
I'm embarrassed to say about the cukes, they seemed to come outta nowhere, obviously I wasn't paying close attn...

Ok your squash, the little spots look like frass to me, or squash vine borer poo. If I'm wrong someone please say so!

It looks the same as the spots on my pumpkin vine.
Sooo - you can watch the knife removal process on youtube. I typed in squash vine borer. Basically you need some liquid bt and dilute it. Make a little incision like an oval, above and below the frass and dig out the little white worms. I poured in the diluted bt after that. Cover the cut stem with compost or you can use mels mix I guess too. That's what I did with the pumpkin vine, it survived a lot of chopping. I hope your squash behaves the same way. Good luck with your first surgery!

Those are male flowers on your cukes, you will see a tiny teeny little bity pickle (as the kids call them) on the females just like you would a squash. Although it is harder to spot the females right away because the pickles start so much smaller than squash. I have never had SVB so I am of no help to you squash but I wish you good luck.

Well. I made the incision in both plants, cause they both have some wilting leaves at the base and funny looking stuff on them, but didn't see any of the white worms. I read that sometimes they bore higher but I was so upset at cutting at the stem that I'm letting it go for now. I patched them with wet MM but now I'm just stressed out that I missed the stupid worms and it's going to continue eating the plant, or I was wrong about the diagnosis and I cut unnecessarily. Sigh. It's amazing how emotional one can get over these plants, I feel like I could cry.

I see all male flowers.

Your squash vine has been invaded. I don't us the BT, but I do use my jack knife. Where those little round wounds are, soft spots with sawdust looking frass..... push the blade in gently, do not go through the other side, I would slice the vine lengthwise about 2 inches in length, gently pry open the the edges take a peek and remove the worm. If you don't see it, you can open the vine a bit more.

Don't worry too much about the vine it will heal. Make sure the slice runs the length of the vine not across the vine.

I have been checking my vines daily for about 5 days. I think I have found all the worms, but I will keep looking.

I guess I was writing when you posted above. TO give you encouragement, the plant surgery could save the vine and your harvest; doing nothing or only taking half measures may not be enough to save the vine. I have to say, be brave, have courage, complete the task.. .

Sorry you didn't find worms. My experience was a leaf stem on the pumpkin vine looked very similar to your picture. I didn't get any worms out of the leaf stem but there were many worms that came out of the vine. Both times I poured in bt and it looks like a complete recovery...

Thanks for the advice, ladies. It's dark outside now so I will give it another go after work tomorrow. Sigh. Trying to be strong but can't help feeling a bit discouraged.

Getting the BT inside the stem is supposed to kill any worms you miss.

Kay

And do I get BT at a place like lowes?

Call them or any nursery.

Belle87ad wrote:And do I get BT at a place like lowes?

Under the brand name Thuracide.

Kay