Question
For the 2nd year my squash, after it matures & is producing fruit, starts to wither & die.The problem is caused by rotting of the vine just inches from the roots. The rotted length is just an inch or two long. Have 4 vines in 2 mounds, one is OK so far. I'm in North Central Texas. Have an idea of the disease ?

Answer
Howard:
Couple of possibilities (1) Stem rot. This is a fungus. The bark of the lower stem gets dark and mushy and usually smells bad. Caused by a fungus that can live in the soil. Improve drainage.  (2) Squash vine borer. Split lower stem near the soil line and upwards 1 foot with a knife. Can see a whitish worm/larvae tunneling in the central hollow chamber.  Insecticide applied early in the life of the plant as a preventative.

Regards
Steve