Amateur Mother: Spoiled Squash

Like I have mentioned, I really am an amateur gardener. I have spent years growing my garden in pots, so as we rented places I could be sure to always take my babies with me and although this got me a good start on learning, I am by no means a plant growing superstar....yet, that is!
Now that we have our first home I will say I have certainly "dug" my heels into it full swing and I am finding that, surprise surprise, not everything is growing perfectly.

Like my squash.....

I started my squash in my garden boxes and they seemed to be doing ok, despite the cooler temperatures they were staying green and having slow growth. Then, starting with my pumpkin, they all began to turn yellow from the bottom leaves and up... I inspected for bugs, made sure it had water, then had it down to 2 things....Disease or not enough sun....

Everything I read said that squash need at LEAST 6 hours a day, and did I listen? Ummm, no. I figured that my kind of shady, 5 hour a day box would do the trick, but let me tell you people, not so!

Mistake #1 - I moved all the squash and the cucumber to my bark mulch hill. (I figured that it was super sunny and the mulch would help to keep them moist.) Turns out that bark mulch has no significant nutritional value and can actually alter the ph and nutrient levels.... Darn it!

Mistake #2 - I pulled of the bottom yellowing leaves off the plant in case of disease. This seemed to make the yellowing just spread faster to the rest of the plant.

Mistake #3 - Thinking I was smarter than all the literature and gardeners posting forums that I read.

So now this is what my squash all look like :(

Needless to say this had been a great learning experience and I now know that next year my squash will need a SUNNY, HOT spot that has good soil.

Sorry kids, no home grown pumpkin to carve this year!

What I should do is pull them all up and toss them into the compost, but instead I get to stare at them every time I head out to the backyard, a cruel reminder that I really am an amateur and its not just a clever name.

At least I was able to plant potatoes in that spot and they are doing fab so far! This is my second planting and we are already eating our first of the season from my other bed. Let me tell you, potatoes from the garden are FAR superior to store bought and so easy to grow!!