Cucurbitaceae — Squash family

Shared risks

• powdery mildew
• bacterial wilt
• striped and spotted cucumber beetles
• squash bugs
• squash vine borer

Named risks, not an arbitrary score: these are the organisms that carry over in soil, debris or volunteers.

Rotation guidance

Leave 2 years before returning any squash family member to the same bed. Rotation concerns previous seasons in a bed; it is separate from which plants grow together now.

• Cucumber beetles spread bacterial wilt; a perimeter trap crop is one documented management tool.

Sources

• Using trap crops for control of Acalymma vittatum (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) reduces insecticide use in butternut squash (2009)
• Using trap crops to reduce pests (2009)
• Managing plant diseases in the home garden (2023)

Exceptions and small-garden notes

Short crops (radish, arugula, baby leaves) still count as occupancy for the family. In a garden with one or two beds, strict rotation is impossible; instead, alternate families within a bed by half, remove crop debris, choose resistant cultivars and keep a bed history so the planner can warn you.

Other families: Solanaceae · Brassicaceae · Fabaceae · Apiaceae · Asteraceae · Amaryllidaceae · Lamiaceae · Amaranthaceae · Poaceae · Rosaceae · Other families