Why no more new fruit on my zukes?

Hi All,

I am attempting to grow zucchini this year. I am a total beginner and no little of what I am doing.

Problem: on my four producing plants, I have lots of flowers but no new fruit. I initially got a very nice fruit off of each plant. But, then for the last two weeks, nothing new. I have lots of flowers by no new fruit. The plants seem healthy (well, to me anyway). I am puzzled.

Do I need to shake the flowers or somethings to make sure they pollinate? Any ideas what to do?

Many thanks,

-T

Reply to
Todd
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Do you have any bees?

D
Reply to
David Hare-Scott

We see very few. Had some kind of parasite come through a few year back and really hurt the bee population.

Reply to
Todd

Then follow Billy's recipe for doing AI for marrows.

D
Reply to
David Hare-Scott

Assuming you have no bees and without bees you need to manually pollinate. Pick a few male flowers, peel off the petals then dab the stamen onto the female flower's stigma. Roll it around well. It's tedious but the only way you'll get zukes without bees.

Paul

Reply to
Paul M. Cook

Hi Billy and Paul,

Thank you!

I did not realize there were male and female flowers on zucchini.

Found an excellent video that show how to self pollinate (and that the two of you are correct):

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have wilted female flowers shown in the video too

I was also told I was over watering the guys by a farmer friend.

-T

Reply to
Todd

I just checked out all my new buds now that I can tell their sexes apart. THEY ARE ALL DUDES! BUMMER!!! Oh well, the soil is still drying out from all my over watering.

-T

Reply to
Todd

Once you do get fruit don't let them get too big. You have to keep the plant thinking it has not completed its life cycle or it will die and shrivel up quickly. I like to grow really big zukes, like 24 inches long, but I only get 3 or so from each plant. Overwatering may also have flushed nutrients from the soil.

Paul

Reply to
Paul M. Cook

The plants are loving all this attention. Leaves are even getting bigger. Each of my five plants gave me a fruit about

14 inches long. Then stopped. I think it was after three days of heavy thunderstorms and the ground never dried out.

Olive oil, oregano, sea salt, a sausage, and fresh zukes from the garden. Joy!

-T

Oh yah, plant zukes. You have so many you have to fill your neighbor's back seats with them (why you have to lock your car doors if you live in a small town). I'm still waiting. I think someone was funnin' me. Okay, I suck at gardening. I can only grow dandelions and purslane. (I hear purslane is good eating!)

Reply to
Todd

Leaving squash fruit to grow larger in many varieties is the same as letting leafy vegetables go to seed. If it's large long zucchini that's desired just grow the varieties that normally produce large long fruit. This one is excellent (aka zucchini longo), I have it growing now:

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Reply to
Brooklyn1

We got the same problem, but it sporadic. One plants doing ok. One plant is on it's side. Yellow zukes. Don't have many, but they are huge squash.

I also notice the stink bugs like hanging on my green pepper plants, and jalapeño. Nothing else. Some animal was clipping my plants, but it's been ok after using fox urine product.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

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