A squash doc in the house?

I have a whole lot of summer squash growing and I had this one plant that was darker in leaf foliage color than all the rest of the plants. It was going along beautifully until a couple days ago. Then I noticed the center leaves were all wilted and hanging down. Everybody gets the same water and fertilizer and I looked for any signs of bugs but haven't found any.

Anybody happen to know why only the center leaves would wilt by chance? It only the center ones. They won't perk up for anything. It has me stumped.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I would like to follow this thread.

Sure thing Dean. Follow along and maybe we both will learn something. : )

I've never seen anything like it. Especially since the older leaves are fine and it flowering both male and female flowers. When I first saw it, I thought how cute, cuz the foliage was such a dark green, it stands out in the garden, but cute has turned to confusion with this problem.

I hoping some of the other squash growers might have some time seen this problem. : (

Totally odd to me -- never seen the like. Have you checked the main stem for damage, as in might there be a borer in that one? Though that wouldn't account for the color.

(I've found that if I start putting in excuses instead of experience, someone who actually knows the answer will come along.)

In my particular case I have a similiar situation only it is with my peppers. I feel that it is the heat as the younger leaves are not as developed as the older. It has been very hot and I don't think squash likes excess heat for long periods of time either!

But you'd think it would affect all the plants the same way if it were the heat. I'd be more inclined to think insect damage, maybe something chewing it up? But that would not account for the deeper color.

Oooo... it's like "House" only it's "Garden"...

LOL... I like watching house. I've checked up and down the stem. Can't find any kind of even a tiny hole.

Ya may be right T... the high heat and the humidity here has been terrible. We spent the whole week when this started in the high 90 and way above.

Maybe the dark coloring of the leaves, since they are odd , are not able to handle the heat as well. Think when I go back out I will feel the texture of the leaves and see if it happens to feel thinner than the good squash plants going.

I looked at them last night before I came in when it was cooler and they were still in that same I call half umbrella down stage . Looks like I getting a couple of new leaves, will have to see if they doing that wilty thing.

If the whole plant was infected then I would think it was maybe somesort of virus or bacterial thing, but the rest isn't.

Only other thing I cna think of is that maybe the seed was a mutant and because it a mutant it is now not developing properly. I have seen lots of mutants and like working with them, but never seen one act like this.

Make sure your soil isn't too dry and provide some shade for this plant for a few days. Make sure you don't get the leaves wet when you water the plant. You may have had a bird foraging around bending the stems and causing them to wilt. I wouldn't pinch off the dying leaves, just let them die back. The rest of the plants looks healthy and should be fine.

Sounds like great advice, sweetpeadragon. I had one that was wilting heavily and I deeply watered it and it perked up for now.

Hummmmmmmm I do have alot of birds aroudn here and they hang aroudn the garden area to catch the grasshoppers that driving me crazy. Birds messing with the squash never even entered my mind.

Checked the soil and it not too dry. Will do like ya suggested sweetpea and let em die naturally if they gonan do that. Can't give it any shade cuz got all them other plants out there. Thanks for throwing another suggestion into the mix. : )