Rot On Zucchini

There are two reasons that zucchini can rot as the fruit forms. If the rot is starting at the blossom end, this is most likely due to uneven watering. If the rot starts at the stem end, it can be a fungus that grows in damp conditions. Both can be treated in the same way: 1. Be sure that you’re watering deeply but not frequently – never hand water a vegetable garden because you’ll get bored long before the soil is soaked deeply. Water in the morning only, using a sprinkler or soaker hoses. In weather where the night-time temperatures are below 70 degrees this can be once every five to seven days. In hotter weather every 5 days is usually fine. 2. Mulch around your plants with chopped leaves or hay. This holds the stems and fruit off of the soil and keeps a more even level of moisture in the soil. 3. Spray the stems with one of the organic fungicides such as Serenade or Actinovate – these are natural bacteria that “out compete” fungi. With those practices you should soon be harvesting more zucchini than you can eat!