sqaush

[lottie dolly]

if they are only small when they drop of,it maybe because they not pollinated,have you seen any male floweres on the plant priar to the female,that is the only thing as comes to my mind.

[Lavenderblue]

well there seems to be both males and female flowers, the fruits do get to be tennis or golf ball sized which would suggest they are getting pollinated but something else is going on. (oh Storm and I have the same allotment btw and are partners) I think it might be the weather or something eating them that likes squashes but not pumpkins, though the plants show no sign of pests at all, not even a slug hole. They are F1 cobnut and it sounds like a similar problem that newbie had, perhaps the variety isn't as robust as others. i will try a different one next time.

[bluemoon]

Mine didn't seem to be doing too well either. I've a couple of fruits on each of three plants and I'm going to limit them to that, but the plants seem tiny in comparison to the rampant pumpkins. I was on the point of pulling the butternuts up, but I think I'll leave them now. Next year though I'm definitely going to start them earlier.

[Noodles]

Probably a stupid question but how do you know which flowers are male and which are female? My 2 plants have had a couple of flowers but no idea how to tell which type. I've googled but had no luck.

[bluemoon]

The female ones have a tiny baby squash at the back and the males don't, Noodles.

[screwbylil]

hi ive just noticed loads of flowers forming yipee still dubious though dont think this weathers helping might be an idea about cloches but its seems our "southern" friends are having poroblems as well let me know how you get on cheers screwby

[SarzWix]

Checked mine this morning - loads of male flowers, no female It's only 4 weeks-ish til my first frost, so I don't think there's much hope for me this year.

[di]

I'm clinging to the optimistic hope of an Indian Summer!!The majority of our squash are going great guns but the sweet dumplings still haven't formed any fruit~is it really so unrealistic to hope for a blazing hot October!?As a southern friend don't know how to compare with your fruits but I'd say ours are deffo a bit behind normal!
Also~only my opinion but I'd guess that the rotting fruits could be down to too much watering?(be it from yourself or the uncontrollable skies!!)

[lynda66]

well i'm still holding out, as we don't tend to get frost too early here, and only usually get snow in february, so if the sun keeps coming out like it's done all this week, there may still be hope

though it always rains for 2 weeks round the 17th, just to mess up my birthday BBQ ...... though bouncy castles and rain, can be such good fun

[Newbie]

I have just come back from 2 days away & have found a tiny baby squash on my Cobnut plant - hurrah!!!

[Noodles]

The female ones have a tiny baby squash at the back and the males don't, Noodles.

Thank you! Mine have all been male so far then

[Alison]

This is the nearest I have to the glut of butternuts which I was hoping for!

[Newbie]

Looks just like mine!

[chris]

bah! My flowers haven't even opened yet, so I guess I won't be getting any fruit!

[elizajay]

I have tried butternuts twice and only grew one fruit. I have had much better success with other squashes like gemstore and uchiki kuri. I have planted sweet lightening and have loads of baby squashes, but they don't look anything like the picture on the seed packet so I have not idea when they will be ready to pick