Why did my zucchini plants die?

Question

They were growing like crazy, then I noticed the leaves wilting. On closer inspection I saw the stems were completely rotten and yellow. Any ideas?

Answer 1

The squash borer will settle in the stems of cucurbit plants and feast on the fiber of the stalks until the plant dies.   The pest even shows up here in the Southwest.

Answer 2

There is also a grey bug that is commonly called a stink bug where I live. They sting the plant and it dies. The only thing that I have found to keep them off is Sevin Dust and dust them frequently.

Answer 3

I had that problem last year.  I family of bore worms decided to take up residence in the hollow stems.  They plants came back a couple of weeks after we cut all of the stems and leaves of the main trunk and produced zucchini for us again by mid-August!  Good Luck!