Can you eat squash with black rot?

In this brief guide, we will discuss the following question, “can you eat squash with black rot?”, and other queries related to this topic.

Can you eat squash with black rot? 

Yes, you can eat squash with black rot. You can simply cut the black part in case there are only a few spots and then you can consume or cook the remaining part. The rot is visible on the outside of the squash or the melon. 

The cause of black rot on your squash or pumpkin is the development of viral and fungal pathogens on the inside or the outside of the vegetable. Not only squash or pumpkin are affected by these pathogens but also cucumber and melons are affected.

Winter squash, melons, cucumber, and summer squash all belong to the same family that is called “ Cucurbitaceae”. The severity of the disease that will affect each vegetable depends on the type of the virus and the type of the vegetable. 

Generally, the mosaic virus is the main cause of having black spots on your squash. This virus is spread to your vegetables through some insects or by simply cultivating infected seeds. The fruits infected by this virus will develop some discolorations and black spots on the outside.

This virus not only affects the fruit and leads to discoloration but also will affect the leaves of the plant. Once the virus has been developed on the leaves of the squash plant it will lead to dark or light green spots.


Moreover, black rot on your vegetable can develop on it when the squash is still in the field and it might appear due to inappropriate storage methods. When the squash touches the soil, black spots will develop due to excess moisture and humidity.

What are the other diseases that might affect the squash?

Other diseases will affect the squash when they are still in the field or during their storage. One of the diseases is anthracnose, this disease affects the fruit of squash and pumpkin and leads to black spots on the vegetable.

The development of this fungus is accelerated by the humidity and the warm temperatures. Once it has been developed circular and dark spots will be noticed. The deterioration of the squash is mostly seen during storage.


Phytophthora Blight is another disease that affects all varieties of cucurbits such as zucchini, cucumber, watermelon, and squash. This disease is characterized by the development of white mold and spots on the outside of the vegetable. 

If you notice these symptoms on your squash do not harvest them because their quality will deteriorate with time and they will not be adequate for consumption. 

How to treat blossom end rot?

To treat blossom end rot you have to do it before dark spots appear on your squash. So here are several steps to prevent black spots from developing on your squash. First, the quantity of water might affect the development of such spots on the squash.

Major and drastic changes in water the plant gets will increase the risk of spots development due to calcium fluctuation. Moreover, you need to prepare the soil before planting your squash. So, add a low nitrogen fertilizer to the soil for better results. 

When you add a high nitrogen fertilizer, the leaves will develop faster than the roots. So the plant can not take enough calcium from the soil to assure adequate growth of your squash. Additionally, you can add lime to the soil.

Lime addition will lower and balance the soil pH and will increase the plant’s ability to absorb the calcium thus better. The soil pH should be between 6 and 6.5 in order to get the best fruits and vegetables. Also, you can add some gypsum to the soil to increase calcium availability.

Finally, in case you notice that squash is starting to develop black spots, remove it from the plant and add to the soil the adequate fertilizer that is rich in calcium to improve the quality of the remaining and the next round of squash. 

How to store squash to avoid black rot?

First, you should avoid planting your squash in wet soil because excessive moisture can accelerate its deterioration. Moreover, prepare your soil before planting squash or any other plant and put in adequate fertilizers. 

Furthermore, when you harvest your squash make sure to store them in a dark and cool place and check regularly for any mold or discoloration that might develop on the outside of your squash.

Other FAQs about Squash that you may be interested in.

Can you bake acorn squash whole

Can you bake acorn squash seeds

Can you bake acorn squash 

Can dogs eat squashies?

Conclusion


In this brief guide, we discussed the following question, “can you eat squash with black rot?”, and other queries related to this topic.


References

https://topcookingstories.com/library/lecture/read/25276-can-you-eat-squash-with-black-rot


http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Cucurbit_FrtRots.htm

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