I am at a loss on my squash. I have several rows of squash of various varieties and about 5 plants per row. The plants are nice and big and are producing a TON of flowers every day.
Problem 1. They are not setting any fruit. I can only find a couple zucchini that look like they are set. All the flowers open up nice and pretty, then just drop off
Problem 2. I am losing a few plants to an unknown. I will notice the plant leaves will all of a sudden wilt, then within 2 days max the once healthy plant is d.e.a..d.... Possibly ground grubs? This has happened to about 5 plants now. I pulled one today that was healthy as could be Monday..dead as a door nail today
If it matters..this end of the garden is the most sunny part. It gets direct sunlight from like 10-5, filtered sun/shade before and after that
#1) Are both the male flowers (long stem, no mini squash at base) and the female flowers(shorter stem, with mini squash at base) dropping? They produce about twice as many male flowers in the beginning. You can hand pollinate, it's very easy. Take off a male flower that just opened, tear off the petals so you have just a big fuzzy orange pollen covered ball on a stem. Take that and dab it on the female flower center. You should see some pollen stick to the female flower. It's very easy and assures that each female flower will develop into a squash. One males should last through three or so female flowers.
#2) You have squash vine bores. There will be little piles of saw dust where the bore went in, carefully cut the stem LENGTHWISE about an inch. You should see the grub in the stem, pluck it out with a toothpick, there should be just one per hole. Carefully bury the injured stem in the dirt, if you caught it soon enough and found them all the plant will grow new roots every where you buried it and recover. I think seven dust is used to control them, BUT you have to treat before they get in the stem, and treat often. They are safe in the stem from chemicals.
Almost everyone I've spoken with about home gardens lately,,are having the same problem.
No pollination.
Sad to think what's gonna happen when ALL the bees are gone.
Had one guy tell me to buy a case of mountain dews and open em up around the garden 🙂
I'm fighting blossom end rot and the bugs that look like stink bugs right now. Losing the battle too.
Here's a pic I took yesterday afternoon. This was a healthy plant day before
