It happens all too often. You’ll see big blossoms on your summer squash plants and tiny little squashes forming behind the blossoms. But after a few days the blossom dries up and the tiny squash shrivels and turns brown. Why does this happen?
There are a number of reasons why this may be occurring in your garden. The first thing to consider is the weather. Extreme temperatures of below 55 degrees or above 85 degrees while the plant is flowering can affect the plant’s ability to set fruit.
Squash enjoy warm weather, but not too warm!
Squash plants prefer to grow in full sunlight. If they’re not getting enough sun, the plants protest by not setting fruit. They’re also fair weather friends. If the plants are blossoming and a heavy rain occurs, the rain can wash the pollen from the male flowers, preventing the female flowers from being pollinated.
Likewise, never water your squash plants with an overhead sprinkler early in the morning. Each male flower opens or only a few hours in the morning. It’s in the morning hours that pollination is most likely to take place, and a sprinkler can wash away the pollen.
You can help pollinate your summer squash but first you need to know how to tell a female squash blossom from a male squash blossom. It’s easy once you know the difference. The female blossoms will have a tiny squash forming directly behind the blossom, while the male blossoms have just a stalk behind the blossom.
That little squash behind the female blossom is the ovary, and if it isn’t pollinated it will wither and fall off.
To pollinate your squash blossoms, go out to the garden in the morning, before 10 a.m., armed with a cotton swab or small paintbrush. Now locate a male flower and gather some pollen by rubbing your swab or brush on the stamen in the center of the flower. You’ll see the yellow pollen on your swab or brush. Then move on to a female flower and rub the pollen onto the pistil in the center of the female blossom. Voila! You have pollinated your squash and will be rewarded with fresh, tasty vegetables for your dinner table.
My squash got really big, and so I thought I was doing good until I tried to cut it, and it was very tough. What causes this?
Lori,
I’m no expert on squash but I’m guess that you didn’t harvest it soon enough. Maybe somebody with more experience will tell us differently, but for now that would be my guess.
I’ve just read that Butternut squash is ready when there is no more green strips anywhere on the fruit. Other than that I’m not sure about the other types. If anyone knows please share.
Hi I’m Monica I Lerk here and I just seen this for the first time . They aren’t getting pollinated the female flowers are the ones with what looks like the fruit, the male are the flowers without the fruit. What you have to do is plant something to it to bring in the pollinators or get in there and hand mate them. hee hee
They are ready when about the length of about 8 inches and 3 inches in diameter
To give you the best answer, it would be helpful to know what type of squash you are growing.
“Summer” squashes (e.g. zucchini, patty pan) need to be harvested young when the seed cavity is small and the skin is tender. I usually pick zucchini when it is about 8″ long and about the diameter of an old silver dollar.
“Winter” squashes (e.g. butternut, acorn, spaghetti) are picked when fully mature. They will have a hard skin which provides the protection they need to last for months in your cool basement.
Hope this helps!
yes there is a big difference between Summer and Winter Squash. Many people don’t allow
Winter Squash to mature and develop flavor. They should be bought and allowed to age a month or
five! Winter squash is supposed to sweeten and develop more flavor in storage. Steve is right. Allow to age
in a cool airy place. Most pumpkins are grown for display and not as valued for baking. There are specific
types for eating after storage. I think squash are under rated, since they aren’t usually eater at the right time.
Even the name could be improved.. squash ? poor moniker !!
RE: lack of pollen. My squash develop to about the size of a little finger then wither. Is that a pollination problem.
My squash develop only to about the size of a little finger then wither. Is this a pollination problem.
James,
I honestly don’t know, maybe somebody else?
Yes. Use a Q-tip to gather pollen from male flowers and hand pollinate the female flowers (there are various ways to hand-pollinate) to be sure the blossom gets fertilized.
My issue is that I hand-pollinated, it was growing great, about 6+ inches long but still seemed quite immature, but when I checked it today, it was a little squishy like it was getting resorbed by the plant the way the tiny unfertilized one did. It looked fine. Could this be a watering problem? My plant is in a small container (it’s a compact bush variety), and this was the only fruit.
I have one female that ready to bloom but my male are not ready that are still small what do I do
Harvest for yellow squash has passed and I still have a few small ones on the vine/bush that didn’t grow fully. Can i still eat them.
In my experience yes, just treat them like courgette/zucchini if they’re still tender and green…
My yellow squash put on and before they are big enough to harvest they put on more little ones ,does anyone know what you can do to help the bigger ones to mature
Iam having the same problem,,I was thinking maybe not enough fertilizer,,I hope someone gives us an answer
Iam having the same problem,,I was thinking maybe not enough fertilizer,,I hope someone gives us an answer
Wanda,
I wish I could but not really my area of expertise. Sorry.
I’ve got a good healthy looking zucchini plant with 4 young fruit about 4 inches long each. They have been that way for over a week, not getting any bigger, but not withering either. Any suggestions?
Bobbi,
I don’t think there’s much you can do but wait.
I found via utube that you can refrigerate msle nlossoms in a plastic bag. They keep for 3 to 5 days.
If your female flowers are late you have a reserve!
I had never heard this! What a great idea!
Now, those blossom can also be filled w a veggie cream cheese and dipped in a tempura battery and deep fried. Drain on paper towel and eat some- freeze some.
Delicious! Definitely better first time around, but both were good 🙂
I garden in central New York state. I love growing different types of squash – they are all a bit different. The male flowers are the first to bloom on the squash plant. If you want to fry some up, use these until the female flowers bloom.
It would be helpful if the people who give hints and comments would include what state they are gardening in.