July 28, 2016
As it turns out, growing squash is not as easy as I had hoped.
Several weeks ago I wrote about summer squash and how it grows so easily people are giving it away.
Two coworkers came to my desk and asked if I could share the squash overflow.
I would if I could. However, our squash plants have turned out to be duds.
When it comes to gardening, my boyfriend and I divide the labor. He takes care of the vegetables growing in the black plastic truck bed liner filled with soil. I take care of the potted flowers in our outdoor sitting area.
We were super excited when we had dozens of bright yellow flowers among the giant squash leaves.
Squash plants produce both male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers are longer and produce pollen. Female flowers are shorter and have a little round fruit at the bottom. If the plant only produces male flowers, you have a predictable problem with production.
We did manage to harvest about two mature crook-neck squash, however just as many shriveled in the sun.
“Can you please call one of your sources and find out what is wrong with our squash and zucchini,” my boyfriend said calmly and with clarity.
A case for the experts
We literally had a team of Glenn County Master Gardeners trying to problem solve this question.
Bob Scoville, my good buddy at Glenn Master Gardeners, asked his plant horticultural friends for ideas.
In general, squash problems include too much water, heavy soil, uneven watering, excess nitrogen, too few nutrients, squash bugs, lack of mulch … Another possibility is the lack of bees.
This made us think hard. You don’t notice the lack of bees if the bees aren’t there.
Now that we thought about it, we can’t recall seeing bees on the squash. Bob said if a neighbor had been using insecticides, it could have impacted the bees on my block. The yard next door was zapped with herbicide, but that was once and several months ago.
Wind-pollinated tomatoes
Our tomatoes are doing just fine, with or without bees, because they are pollinated by the wind.
Plus, I tickle the flower stems on a regular basis, which helps the pollen jostle free.
Squash, on the other hand, has very sticky pollen and won’t be jiggled loose with wind or tickling.
Michael Ann Foley, Glenn master gardener, suggested we try hand pollination. Here you take a Q-tip or small paint brush and brush the longer male flowers to collect pollen. Then rub the sticky pollen on the pistil of the female flower. Remember that the female flowers are the shorter blossoms, with the itty-bitty fruit on the bottom.
You can also remove the male flower from the plant, fold back the petals and rub the sticky pollen from the male flower into the female flowers.
The flowers are only ready for pollination for that one day.
Another master gardener, Pam, explained that sometimes a squash will start to develop and then shrivel. This is often because of incomplete pollination, or it could be due to an attack by squash bugs.
More on squash bugs from the University of California here, http://tinyurl.com/hsd7ytk
Blossom blessing
Many people love eating fried squash blossoms. Here’s a video how-to: http://tinyurl.com/z2graxa
Early in the plant’s growth cycle, all or most of the flowers are male, which provides blossom-eaters a bonanza. As the plant matures, the female flowers arrive.
You can read more details about squash, the problems and the triumphs, in this publication by the University of California: http://tinyurl.com/j9ryvee
More free advice
Those helpful folks in Glenn County provide a lot of opportunities for free advice. You can walk in from 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays at the office in Orland, 821 E. South St.
