silly question from a newbie

**Shortie** · 09-07-2006, 11:08 AM

Hi Mrs G and welcome to the Vine

There's never a silly question!

I've grown Squash the past two years and unless I had pollenate they never set of there own accord and so the fruit drops off... There's info on this thread, but if there's not enough here, let me know and I'll answer what I can.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...read.php?t=627

**MrsG** · 09-07-2006, 11:35 AM

Does this mean I need to get out there with a brush?

**Debs** · 09-07-2006, 11:48 AM

Another newbie!

Hi everyone.
Have just read Mrs G's question and have a question along similar lines. I have two squash plants (Avalon F1) and they are starting to take over an area of my small garden. Are you supposed to pinch out the growing tip and if so when? This is my first year at veggie growing and finding all hints and tips on the Grapevine a great help. Thanks everyone!

**Shortie** · 09-07-2006, 01:46 PM

Hi, me again

Mrs G - I don't use a brush, but you can if you prefer. Personally I remove a male flower by breaking the stem (use gloves - the lants are prickly) and then 'wiggle' the pollen onto the female stamen (yellow/orange bit in the female flower). 'Wiggling' is ofcourse an official phrase for the job

Debs - Welcome! I've never pinched mine out, but then I do know what you mean about them taking over (good ground cover though). This year I have put low green wore fencing stuff round mine this year to contain them, but am letting them run rampant within that space. Can't see why you can't pinch them out. Might make it bush out though and then you'll have to repeat the process on the new shoots...?

**Little Dig** · 09-07-2006, 03:34 PM

I was advised to peg the sprawling plant around itself in a spiral to keep it under some control. Depends on how nuch space you have really.

**fairy** · 09-07-2006, 04:07 PM

Hi, I had quite good success last year with my squash & pumpkins - I did pinch out (and have done this year) the growing tip after about 6 fruits. I think the idea is so that they actually ripen quicker. Worked for me. As for the squash not polinating, not sure how mine got polinated last year, but they did some how! Sorry, thats not much help!!!

**Debs** · 09-07-2006, 05:22 PM

Pinching out squashes

Thanks all for your help. As everything is an experiment with me at the moment I think that I will peg one in a spiral and pinch the other out and see which one gives me the best return! All that lovely butternut squash soup for the freezer! Well I can but Hope, Can't I!?

**Lesley Jay** · 09-07-2006, 06:28 PM

It is best to pinch out the growing tip on butternut squash when they have set about 6 fruit. Otherwise the plant just keeps growing (although it does slow down) and sets more fruit so you can end up with a load of tiny butternuts. If you stop the plant the energy goes into making the 6 fruits bigger and then hopefully you can harvest them before the first frost.

**MrsG** · 09-07-2006, 08:53 PM

so i guess all this advice for squashes is good for pumpkins and courgettes too. So how about the pea plants do I let them carry on in hope of a second crop or do I pull them out and use the ground for something else?

**Sunbeam** · 09-07-2006, 09:29 PM

Hi Mrs G

I was wondering the same thing about the peas - according to my step father theyare unlikely to crop again - so i have spent today pulling out the plants, blanching the peas and freezing them - I hope he was right!! I have dug over their plot and was wondering what I should be growing in there...crop rotation and all that...? Anyone any suggestions?

**pickledtink** · 09-07-2006, 10:11 PM

Originally posted by MrsG

hello to all I have justed joined these forums. I moved last November from a bungalow with flower pots to a house with a garden 25 x 100 feet. I'm attempting to grow veg for the first time in the lower 40ft.

Most of it seems to be doing ok, but the pumpkins do not appear to be producing any fruit.

A lot of the courgettes have flowered and then the flowers drop off with no fruit behind though one or two have fruited, would this be male flowers? and should I be removing them to save the plant energy?

I have been picking peas every second day for about a week and it appears they will soon be over. If I leave the plants in will more flowers grow and so a second crop? or should I pull them up and use the ground for something else?

sorry to ask such dumb questions

Pumpkins

Leave them be. they'll get round to producing fruit bearing female flowers but will produce males first. If nothing happens follow the same procedure for courgettes pollination I'll cover next.

Courgettes.

Same as the pumpkins but may need a hand with pollination ( this will certainly speed things up a bit if the bees are busy elsewhere)
You can hand pollinate easily;
Take any male flower. The one on the longer stem with no swelling behind. Pop it off the stem. Peel back the petals and take a good look. You'll see the long central stamen with thick clots of deep yellow pollen. Sometimes it may have fallen off in clumps onto the inner flower petal. Don't waste a drop.
On each of your plants find a healthy open female flower with fruit swelling behind.
gently insert the male pollen bearing stamen into the central part of the female flower. Wiggle it about a bit. Leave some pollen behind and move on to the next. If you think all the pollen is done from that flower pluck another male from any plant and continue until all plants are fertilised. Hmmm. Maybe I should be writing erotica for plants.

Anyway: Although the flower you pollinated may fail. fall off or never really develop the next fruit will be fine and cropping will be good from then on.

**vicki** · 09-07-2006, 10:15 PM

Courgettes always seem to have more male than female flowers to start with so I wuldn't worry. Before you know it I bet you'll be snowed under by courgettes and you'll be looking up the thread on courgette recipes like me!!!
Good luck!

**MrsG** · 10-07-2006, 12:15 PM

many thanks all. hmm veggie erotica, best offer I've had in ages lol. I have sowed some cauliflower seeds late on and they are beginning to show. The packet said I could sow late and overwinter so once I have finished with the ground for the peas and other veggies I shall plant up with the cauli. Don't know much about crop rotation but I am making tons of homemade compost which I hope will feed next years crops without the need to resort to artificial means.

**SueA** · 10-07-2006, 03:37 PM

Hi MrsG, if you cut down your peas leave the roots in the soil as they add valuable nitrogen for whatever you grow there next year.

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