Winter squash dying or soon to be ready to pick?

I am a new vegetable gardener growing in a new garden started from sod this spring so have no point of reference for this. Would appreciate any comparison info from people in similar climate (I'm dead center of New York State).
My winter squash - 18 Puritan Butternut plants (100 days), have some full-sized fruits that are beginning to color, smaller green fruit, and vines that are still growing at the tips and flowering. Many of the leaves are turning yellow and overall the patch has taken on a sickly olive cast.
They were started inside and set out the first week of May as small four-leaf plants, and were flowering early, the same time as the summer squashes were starting.
Is this normal? Are anyone else's squash doing this?
We've had rain 12 out of the last 14 days and I'm afraid they're drowning......the drainage here is slow and it stays soggy longer than I had hoped.
Thanks for any input.

NYrainshine even in drier conditions the early squash leaves will die as the plant ages (and new leaves will grow to replace them). Yours do look like they are suffering a bit from lack of sun and soggy feet as well though. The olive cast I'm pretty sure is caused by a fungus disease called powdery mildew. This disease is especially prevalent in rainy seasons and areas with consistently high humidity.

Posters here have told me to use a spray made with powdered milk (not sure how it will work for you though if the rain and humidity doesn't stay away). I'm sure someone will be along with the recipe soon (but I'll look for it as well).

Pam


This message was edited Aug 15, 2008 10:12 AM

1 part of Milk to 6 parts of Water. The milk can be powdered or fresh but I think many here prefer the powdered.

So you can make up 1 pint of milk to 6 pints of water (for example) to spray your squash.

That sure is a nice-looking squash there!