Zucchini Plant Issues - Help!

6 years ago

I recently picked up a zucchini plant from a nursery. It seemed like a very happy plant. A few days passed the the edges of the leaves started to dry out (I don't think they are under watered). A few days later (today) the same things started happening along the veins. Am I doing something wrong? Could this be sun scorch?

Also, I made the decision to cut off the cotyledons because they seemed to be showing signs of thrips. I have grown all of the other plants in my garden from seed (all organic and non-GMO), am I making a big mistake introducing this problematic and probably non-organic plant to my garden?

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Comments (4)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
6 years ago
Cutting off the cotyledons was not a good move. They provide food for the plant until it discards them naturally. Are you able to plant these in the garden yet? If so I'd do it ASAP and I'm pretty sure they'll grow out of the issue.
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Original Author
6 years ago
Right - thank you for the reply! It was a difficult decision because I know they store energy but I also felt that if they were showing signs of thrips, they might spread to the rest of the plant if I didn't act quickly. I can move them outside tomorrow, my concern was that if it is sun scald, I would be exacerbating the issue?

Secondly, I will be planting these in the same container as my peas (both snow and snap). I am worried that if they do have thrips living on them elsewhere, that they will start to attack my pea plants as well. I have attached a photo below.
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
6 years ago
Sun scald wouldn't show just along the veins. ALeo how would they have got scalded indoors? Obviously they would need to be properly hardened off before planting them outdoors. Once hardened off the sun wouldn't bother them.

I would not have removed the cotyledons for that damage. Plants grow out of minor issues.

Have you grown zucchini in these containers before with peas? Are you sure there will be room?

They are more susceptible to problems because they're still their seedling modules. The sooner they're in the ground the sooner they'll get growing and shrug off these minor issues.
PRO
MC Designs
Original Author
6 years ago
I have been attempting to harden them off since I got them however the last few days have been very rainy. They had been in the shade outside when I purchased them so I slowly started putting them out in the sun for hour long increasing increments and then bring them indoors at night.

As for planting room, I have never grown zucchini before. I have a 2'x1'x1.5' container. I have the peas trellising up the wall along the 2ft length and then I was going to put the zucchini in front allowing them to hang over the edge a little bit.

Also as a newbie to vegetable gardening, I really appreciate the advice and you taking your time to explain all this! Thank you