Yellow Crook Neck Squash

[track61]

I love this squash so I got some seeds from the States and set out two rows awhile back. I fertilized the plot with 15-15-15 worked and watered it in well before I put the seeds in mounds and then put on cow manure when the plants were about 6 inches tall. I now have large, lovely, healthy looking plants that load up with blooms that fall off before they make.

Any suggestions?

[slapout]

If you have not observed bees etc working in morning and/or evening the flowers may not be getting pollinated. This can happen on vine plants and tomatoes as well. If growing conditions, temp, moisture etc are good, and pollination is the problem, you can try a broom threshing of the plants. This encompasses taking a broom and beating the plants, in a moderate manner of course, to help pollination. Good luck as good fresh, young, crooked neck is hard to beat.

[jandtaa]

Hi 

I had similar problems this year with some pumkins. seemed to be a lot of ants in the flowers possibly keeping off the pollinating insects. obviously depends on how many plants you have and how much time you have but I had success with mine by breaking off the male flowers tearing off the petals and placing the stamen into the female flowers ( let the ants do the job they're preventing others from doing ). Used a paint brush on a smaller scale with some "difficult" greenhouse plants before in the UK just couldn't be bothered with the faff out here and devised the afore mentioned strategy, it's worked well !!

cheers J   

[track61]

Thanks guys. I suspected pollination might be a problem. I planted sun flowers around my entire garden several weeks ago as I noticed bees seem to love the ones in front of the house. Some have buds now. I have cucumbers, tomatos, jalapenos, and pole beans in the same are so I hope attracting bees helps all of them. Meanwhile I will try brooming the squash. You are right slap, my mouth started watering as soon as the squash plants started blooming, and unfortunately still is.

[ozzydom]

If you have not observed bees etc working in morning and/or evening the flowers may not be getting pollinated. This can happen on vine plants and tomatoes as well. If growing conditions, temp, moisture etc are good, and pollination is the problem, you can try a broom threshing of the plants. This encompasses taking a broom and beating the plants, in a moderate manner of course, to help pollination. Good luck as good fresh, young, crooked neck is hard to beat.

I think you will be thrashing a long time as squash have separate male and female flowers.

Tomatoes for instance carry both male and female organs in each flower and can be pollinated by moderate vibration, a cheap battery operated body vibrator from the local market does a good job.