This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Squash Rot

Yep, it sounds like they're not getting pollinated. You may want
to try hand-pollinating them - you can pick an open male flower (the
kind that doesn't have a tiny fruit at the base) and dust/rub
the pollen off of it onto an open female flower. They say that
you can use a paintbrush, too. Basically, you're simulating the
action of insects that buzz from flower to flower, carrying and
dropping pollen as they go. In my area, there are very few
bees, so I had to hand-pollinate last year. If a flower doesn't
get pollinated, it shrivels and falls off, as you describe.

It's been suggested that it's better not to self-pollinate - that
is, it's better if you pollinate Plant A with male flowers from Plant
B, and vice versa. It may be even better to pollinate with different
varieties, but offhand I don't know if all squashes can cross, or
not. (And if you're going to save your seed for planting next year,
you don't want to cross different types, unless you're doing it on
purpose as a breeding experiment.)

(Tried eating any of those flowers, by the way? I found that
mine were so good that after a while I didn't really care if I
got any fruit. :))

Martha

>I have got several good looking yellow squash plants with flowers.
>Many times they will set fruit which will grow up to an inch or two in
>length. Then they will shrivel and rot. I once read an article about
>this phenomenon, and as I recall, it had something to do with a lack of
>pollination. Also something about male and female flowers. I did get one
>good squash that grew to maturity, but all others have withered.
>Comments? Suggestions?
>
>Steve and Paula Hicks
>North Little Rock, AR
>Zone 7
>--
>To unsubscribe, send a message to: majordomo@lists.umsl.edu
>with the single body line: unsubscribe sqft
>Contact owner-sqft@lists.umsl.edu with any admin questions.

M. Wilson
mart@best.com


--
To unsubscribe, send a message to: majordomo@lists.umsl.edu
with the single body line: unsubscribe sqft
Contact owner-sqft@lists.umsl.edu with any admin questions.
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index