This is my 2nd year growing summer squash in our new home. I knew starting a new garden from scratch would produce new problems to solve, but never thought it would be my squash that would suffer, as i have always grown plenty of wonderful plants.

The difference is that, they are now planted in a 4x8 raised bed. I used to have a large garden, no raised bed....and they did well directly in the amended red clay soil. They definitely had more space then.

There are 4 plants about 2' apart. They seem to have room, but they are getting touchy feely with each other now that they are much larger.

I planted by 2 by seed beginning of April, and 2 transplants. No frosts, good weather, they grew up fast. You wouldn't know which came from seed, and which came from transplants. They are all about the same size.

Last year, squash vine borers decimated them. Much worse than i have ever seen before. Got several good squash, but i pulled them up.

This year, they have severely bad powdery mildew. I feel like the leaves are dying off faster than they can grow. I have tried some organic mildew stuff, and non-organic store bought. Nothing worked. Today, i took a peek...and saw evidence those pesky squash vine borers. I swear the public garden up the street is a breeding ground for them! =

I don't know what the lady up the street does...but she planted 4 seeds all on one hill, and kept all 4 of them growing right on top of each other, just cluttering each other up...and they are looking so much better than mine. She uses miracle grow however, i won't use that stuff. Maybe that is the difference.

I almost always get some mildew at the end of the season, but this year...it just came on early, and strong. I guess all the spring rain?

So i hear different things. Some folks told me to keep the leaves wet, because the mildew actually sends out spores in dry weather. Then i have folks telling me to not wet the leaves, because that's what makes the spores multiply.

I guess i'm just frustrated...as i have squash growing in my garden, yet i am having to buy them at the store!