I got some nice ones at first, and then they started coming out dimpled like this. They are Burpee Hybrid zucchini from the same seed packet I used last year (with great results). My garden is on a drip system, so watering is consistent. The zukes taste fine but look funny, and I am getting a lot fewer of them.
The leaf texture has changed too. The newer leaves look like this:
They should look like this (same plant, just an older leaf):
I read recently about herbicide residues in compost that cause plants to grow in odd ways.
Thanks Mary, but I use my own homemade compost so it can't be that.
The plant is probably just getting old.
What's "old" for a zucchini plant? It was only just started from seed 2 1/2 months ago. I don't expect it to be old until the weather gets cold :0).
Looks like squash mosaic (or another viral disease) to me.
Visit: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3109.html
Only thing to do is tear out the plant (burn it or put it in your garbage can, don't compost it) and start over. Plenty of time in Colorado for new zukes!
Potagere
RATS It does look like that! I guess I'd better get rid of it before it spreads :-(. Oh well, I still have plenty of yellow crooknecks & patty pan. I may still have a chance at zukes before frost (but it's not unusual to have our first frost in mid-September). I'm going to give it a shot anyway. This may be the year to install some serious early-frost protection.
Thanks Potagere & everybody!
