In this video I show my weekly process of trimming back my squash and training them to grow upright. I always trim off leaves that have started to yellow, or show any sign of disease, I also remove any spent flower stems as well. These grow so quickly that any leaves I remove will be replaced in a day or two. Next I go through and look for any pest eggs like vine borer eggs or squash bug eggs. Then I look for plants that need some support to grow up the stake. I use a Velcro tape, but you can use some string to hold them up as well.
The benefit of removing old leaves, and training squash to grow upright is vast. There are multiple reasons for growing squash this way. First is that it opens up the area, and reduces the chance of diseases like powdery mildew. The increased airflow and keeping the leaves off the soil is what helps with this. Another reason is that it makes it so much easier to see if you have disease starting, or if pests have laid eggs on your leaves. When the squash is left to grow by its own devices, it will get very dense with leaves and make it virtually impossible to see all the eggs laid by vine borers and squash bugs. One other reason for trimming your squash plants and growing them vertically is to save space. This allows you to get more squash in a smaller area. The upright growth keeps the squash from vining out along the ground which then takes up more space. Growing them up a stake can allow you to get almost double the amount of plants in the same space. This is very beneficial for me and other backyard gardeners who are growing in just a handful of raised beds.
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