What is wrong with my poor squash plant!?

[ShrekDawg]

Okay so this squash plant WAS doing really well and producing tons of squash, thriving, was HUGE, biggest squash plant ever, but then I noticed the other day that the stem appears to be rotting? Also some leaves were occasionally yellowing and falling off. But didn’t think much of any of it since it was still producing tons and also I had to go out of town.

Well we got back yesterday and it was kind of flattened?

But we had had a huge thunderstorm/downpour that morning I think so figured it was just that and would perk up.

Well today it is still mostly down. It is slightly more perked up now and some leaves are up but mostly still flat and the ones that are up are really droopy.

Also like I said, leaves have been dying too, and also blossoms have been falling off and now I just noticed some of the squashes look moldy? Or like a fungus is on them?

WHAT IS GOING ON!?

Is this plant going to die? I have another squash plant but I planted it later so it is way smaller and also not doing anything? Still alive and doing well (planted in a different spot) but not flowers or anything. It had some but then they fell off in a rain storm a few weeks ago and nothing since?? And the plant doesn’t appear to be getting any bigger. So if this huge one dies, I will have no squash.

Please help.

Thanks in advance.

Before. Just a couple of weeks ago. And a couple of the eggplant ha both huge and as you can see, thriving.



After. The other day, yesterday, and today. Not looking so hot now. Also, idk if it matters but the rot on the stem looks a bit more orangey in color in person than it does in pics. More orange than brown I guess idk.



Can this plant be saved? Or is it too late for it? Thank you in advance.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and also I have tomatoes, green beans, and of course the eggplant, and some peppers growing pretty close to it if that matters at all? Thank you.

 

[Kusanar]

I'm not sure what it's problem is, but, getting flattened down into the dirt and soaked likely wasn't good for it. I would try to gently lift it up and stake or cage it so that it isn't just flopping in the dirt and also try to get as much squash out of the mud as possible. Remove any squash that look moldy, you don't want the mold spreading if that's what it is. Better to loose a few squash than the whole plant if the plant can be saved. I would also try to trim off as many gross looking leaves as you can, again, you don't want anything spreading to the whole plant if you can help it.

 

[Beer can]

Vine borer. They enter at the base of the plant and chew their way all the way to the fruit sometimes. Common with both summer and winter squash and pumpkin. There is was to prevent them and certain varieties of squash that don't get them but I just plant way more plants than I need and give the extra fruit to the chickens.
I'm dealing with yellow and black stripped cucumber beatles on my zuks and squash got neem oil spray which kills them but the larvae eat the roots I read.....

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Yeah, I was questioning the vine borer to. Also, @Kusanar is 100% correct on it being bad for the plant to get dirty like that. Mulching helps! Do you have some straw, hay or dried grass clippings? Spread that around the base of your plant before the next rain. The mulch prevents backsplash of the mud onto the plant to cause diseases.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Also, if you begin to notice gray mold on your squash, especially on the blossom end or young fruits, that is botrytis mold. That struck my squash once, it's awful.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thank you all! This is very helpful. I will try some of these suggestions.