Re: Zucchini
- Subject: Re: Zucchini
- From: D* H*
- Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2001 14:38:25 -0500
- Resent-Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2001 12:42:34 -0700
- Resent-From: v*@eskimo.com
- Resent-Message-ID: <"wHA28.0.qD5.f4FDx"@mx1>
- Resent-Sender: v*@eskimo.com
When squash grows a bit and then shrivels and yellows or rots, it means that
the pollination of its flower was incomplete. A honeybee or orchard bee
must land on the female flower, its feet loaded with pollen, at least a
dozen times to completely pollinate a squash bloom. If other pollinators
such as bumble bees, wasps and butterflies land on the female squash
blossom, the pollination dance must happen at least 20 times for complete
pollination. Try planting flowers around your squash next season. A border
of wildflowers around a garden (seeded in early spring before the last frost
date) will lure plenty of pollinators to plants which need the visits.
Doreen Howard
-----Original Message-----
From: Pamela Kock <pkock@one.net>
To: veggie-list@eskimo.com <veggie-list@eskimo.com>
Date: Friday, June 22, 2001 10:12 PM
Subject: Zucchini
>I jinxed myself, evidently, by posting that things were going well in my
>garden. I have 4 zucchini plants, which seem to be quite healthy and are
>producing lots of little zukes. Unfortunately, as soon as they get about
>six inches long they turn yellow and shrivel up. Why, oh why? Is this a
>pollination problem? Do you think I could successfully pollinate them by
>hand? If I don't succeed this year, I swear it's the last time I'll ever
>try growing zucchini because I've grown them for six freakin' years and
>never got a one. :(
>
>Pam
>pkock@one.net
>
>
>
