I am sweating from the pix my google search just brought up. I am sweating from the pix my google search just brought up. I and my four younger siblings would get poison oak growing up and it would drive me insane.
Stem Rot on Squashes. Take good care of your squash plants to avoid stem rot. The term squash includes both winter squash and summer squash. Summer squashes are usually eaten while immature, such as zucchini, while winter squashes are eaten when mature, such as acorn squash. These plants are frost tender and grow as annuals in most climates. Squashes are fairly easy to grow, but a few pests, fungi and bacteria problems that can cause rotting of the stem.
The best time when to harvest squash of these varieties is while they are still small. The size of summer squash when it is ready to be picked is around 6 inches long or wide, if it is the patty pan variety. Beyond this size, summer squash begins to develop a think skin and becomes bitter. The flavor is not the best for cooking. Frequent harvesting will also encourage the plant to produce more fruit.