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Butternut Squash Troubles

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  • #1

    Butternut Squash Troubles

    Hi All,

    I'm new to this site and also pretty new (as in only been doing it for 2 years) to growing my own veg.

    I'm having trouble with my butternut squash. The plants themselves seem to be growing fine. The flower and have little round baby squashes forming on them. Then, when the flowers die and fall off, soon after the little squash starts to shrivel up and looks like they are dying themselves. It's really frustrating as none of them seem to be making it, yet there are loads of the baby ones coming through and flowering.

    Any ideas? Am I doing something wrong? I'm feeding as instructed and watering well. Arghh!!

    Help, please?

    Thanks All!!

    Cat x
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  • #2
    I would assume that they are not being pollinated?

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    • #3
      Yes, you need to pollinate the female flowers yourself to be sure they are done.
      Squash sex


      Edit, not actually yourself.......... I've just realised this may put different pictures in different peoples minds
      Last edited by womble; 20-07-2010, 11:22 AM.
      "Orinoco was a fat lazy Womble"

      Please ignore everything I say, I make it up as I go along, not only do I generally not believe what I write, I never remember it either.

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      • #4
        I've never had this trouble, although loads of others are experiencing it ..?

        I do have a LOT of bees on my plot though: I grow things for them to eat all year round. Would that help you? More bees?
        All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post
          I've never had this trouble, although loads of others are experiencing it ..?

          I do have a LOT of bees on my plot though: I grow things for them to eat all year round. Would that help you? More bees?
          I have bees, although maybe not LOTS.

          I find I have to pollinate the early ones myself and stop then, although this year I'm having a problem later on as well, it's annoying.
          No problem with the courgettes, so I'm really not sure why just the squash should have problems. Even some I've gently pollinated myself have fallen off.
          "Orinoco was a fat lazy Womble"

          Please ignore everything I say, I make it up as I go along, not only do I generally not believe what I write, I never remember it either.

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          • #6
            Maybe they're just being mardy
            All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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            • #7
              Hey guys

              Thanks...I've tried to pollinate them...none of the males have flowered yet though...so i've been picking them off and opening them myself....do they need to have flowered properly for me to be able to pollinate using them?

              how frustrating~!!

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              • #8
                For best results, the pollen needs to be mobile. The male flower needs to be mature enough for the pollen grains to be visible when touched with a finger. See the demonstration of hand pollenation on this page, where if you enlarge the photo, you can see the clumps of pollen grains :- winter_squash

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                • #9
                  I think the only answer to this one is have patience - the males will catch up eventually (they are usually a bit on the slow side)

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                  • #10
                    Thank-You for your help All!

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                    • #11
                      You will probably think I'm totally dumb now but I had a thought...Could I not use the pollen from the male Courgettes? Or is that just stupid?! I just feel like it's such a waste that all these female B'nut Squashes are just dying whilst waiting for the males to bother showing (how typical!).

                      Or would that produce some vile tasting veg?

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by catkeeble View Post
                        You will probably think I'm totally dumb now but I had a thought...Could I not use the pollen from the male Courgettes? Or is that just stupid?! I just feel like it's such a waste that all these female B'nut Squashes are just dying whilst waiting for the males to bother showing (how typical!).

                        Or would that produce some vile tasting veg?
                        As far as I know, the answer is yes you can. It only affects next years plant (ie the seeds), not this years fruit. But I've never tried it on purpose.
                        "Orinoco was a fat lazy Womble"

                        Please ignore everything I say, I make it up as I go along, not only do I generally not believe what I write, I never remember it either.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Originally posted by catkeeble View Post
                          You will probably think I'm totally dumb now but I had a thought...Could I not use the pollen from the male Courgettes?
                          any curcurbit pollen will do....sounds like a song doesn't it?
                          oh no, that was a really terrible song, we had to sing it for songs of praise once, where is my head tonight?....argghhhh.....

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                          • #14
                            Haha...thats great news...will get to work!!! Have lots of seeds I bought this year so not too bothered about the seeds.

                            What exactly does it do to the seeds for next years veg??

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                            • #15
                              Do you know what, Grapes, why not just let nature take its course? I have wonderful images in my mind of farmers up and down the country running around their fields with flowers......
                              I bet they'll be fine in the end LOL

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