Butternut Squash Problems

[Jules2]

Hi there everyone. Hoping someone can help me with a problem with my butternut squash. I'm getting lots of female babies, but most of them are going soft and yellow, then dropping off, even before the flower buds open, so it can't be non pollination. However, for the few that have made it to flower, even when I hand pollinate, a few days later they go yellow and soft.
The soil is warm, moist and well fertilised, BUT they are growing right next to a whole load of pink fir apple potatoes - so could this be my problem? Any ideas how I can rescue my squash?

[rustylady]

Warm?? In Norfolk at the moment?? It's bl**** cold wet and windy down here in Suffolk. Seriously, the potatoes won't be the problem. Are the butternuts growing in open ground?

[shirleybobs]

I had to harvest mine today as they were going crispy, i got 4 squashes

Mine were doing that as well in the summer they were well watered and fed but alas they all died.

[Jules2]

Sorry for not responding sooner to those who replied to my query. I went on holiday for a fortnight. The good news is that on my return, I now seem to have one viable squash. (all the rest dropped off). The one good one is only about the size of a cricket ball, so I'm not holding out much hope that it will get to maturity, given the change in the weather. A lady up the road from me (who has dozens of great looking squashes - and grows them in her nice warm compost heap) insists that my soil can't be warm enough.

I'll try them in my compost heap next year.

thanks again Jules

[Crundy]

Mine also went squishy and rotted off the plants. I assumed it was because I hadn't kept on top of watering them. Is the soild definitely moist enough?

[lottie dolly]

For some reason,mine have had nothing but MALE flowers on this year,except 1 good of good size,up until about a week ago,nothing,then all of a sudden,have lots of small one's,just hoping they get pollinated,and have enough time to swell before the weather turnes,otherwise they will just rot of,i think thats what happened to yours jules2,not so many pollinators about this time of year,not that I have seen,

[rustylady]

Mine also went squishy and rotted off the plants. I assumed it was because I hadn't kept on top of watering them. Is the soild definitely moist enough?

Squishy and rotting sounds like non-pollination, not lack of watering.

[Crundy]

Squishy and rotting sounds like non-pollination, not lack of watering.

Ah OK. They did seem to be doing OK for a while after the flowers fell off. Do they keep going for a while before going squishy?

Is it the same with corguettes?

[lottie dolly]

Is it the same with corguettes?[/QUOTE]

yes,indeed ,any of the squash family

[Crundy]

That would explain my shrivelled yellow corguettes.