For the second year, I am experience a repeat of last year
losing my zucchini before they mature. This is not to say I have a total
failure but my yield is slim at best. I have two zucchini locations of two plants each, which
allow me to monitor the better location for growing. I have changed my watering
schedule to 20 minutes at 4:00 am. which has been helpful for most other herbs
and vegetables but I am suspicious of possible over watering the zucchini as
the immature zucchini begin to develop, then gradually turn yellow, the blossom
drops off and the zucchini withers. Any suggestions?
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| Summer squash fruit can yellow and drop off the plant for a variety of reasons. But don’t let a poor selection or variety cause it for you. That’s a lot of work on your part to invest in inexpensive seed. Good vegetable seed is worth the price. |
summer squash is one of the easier vegetables to grow here. Just make sure you
amend your garden soil with compost, starter fertilizer for vegetables and
start them from seed. You can buy transplants but you don’t need to. Probably
the biggest problem with summer squash or any squash are the squash bugs and
controlling them.
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| Male and female flowers of zucchini. Both flowers are necessary, as well as be activity and the right temperatures, to produce zucchini fruit. Male and female flowers must be open at the same time for the transfer of pollen and the making of fruit. You can transfer the pollen yourself with a Q-tip or soft paintbrush or let the bees do it for you. |
Zucchini produce both female and male flowers on the same
plant. The male flowers produce pollen which the female flower needs to produce
a fruit from the female flower. Female flowers have a small zucchini like
swelling at the bottom of the flower. The male flowers do not.
female flower is done usually by bees. If there are no bees around then the
pollen does not get transferred and there is no fruit production.
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| Don’t let your fruits become baseball sized. Pick them when they are small, about 16 inches long, and pick them often. |
brush and touching the inside of the male flower where the pollen is and
transferring this pollen to the female flower. However, if there are very high
temperatures then this might also not result in producing zucchini fruits.
flower has a real hard time getting the female flower pregnant even if the bees
transfer the pollen successfully. And in our climate that can be a problem.
some production during days when the temperatures are cooler. If not, then try
a different variety next year.
Don’t buy your seed from the hardware store. Buy it online from a good seed supplier for hot and warm climates such as Park Seed Company, Harris Seeds, Grow Organic, Territorial Seeds and many others. Look for seed companies that have offerings for hot desert climates.