Saying goodbye to one summer star — and planning the 2027 comeback. There comes a point in every garden season when you have to admit that one of your plants is done. Today was that day. Not because the zucchini stopped producing. Not because I got tired of eating zucchini. And certainly not because I suddenly decided I had enough zucchini. This plant had been a workhorse. Then she started looking tired. Then she started wilting. And finally she collapsed into the unmistakable posture of a zucchini plant saying, I have given you everything I have. At first I was hoping it might just be heat stress or some temporary problem. Zucchini plants can be dramatic. One hot afternoon and they sometimes look like they have already contacted an attorney to settle their estate. But this wasn't drama. I checked the base. Frass. Lots of it. The murderer had left evidence all over the crime scene. My zucchini had a squash vine borer. An...

Saying goodbye to one summer star — and planning the 2027 comeback. There comes a point in every garden season when you have to admit that one of your plants is done. Today was that day. Not because the zucchini stopped producing. Not because I got tired of eating zucchini. And certainly not because I suddenly decided I had enough zucchini. This plant had been a workhorse. Then she started looking tired. Then she started wilting. And finally she collapsed into the unmistakable posture of a zucchini plant saying, I have given you everything I have. At first I was hoping it might just be heat stress or some temporary problem. Zucchini plants can be dramatic. One hot afternoon and they sometimes look like they have already contacted an attorney to settle their estate. But this wasn't drama. I checked the base. Frass. Lots of it. The murderer had left evidence all over the crime scene. My zucchini had a squash vine borer. An...