What's ruined my squash?

[mrbadexample]

Hi, I have a summer patty pan style squash which I thought was doing ok. But something's got at it.



Any ideas?

Cheers,
MBE

[Chrissyteacup]

Could it be blossom end rot??

[ameno]

Nothing got at them, and that's the problem.
That's what happens when they don't pollinate properly. They sometimes start swelling a little, but they always stop and start rotting soon enough.
I suggest hand pollination - take a male flower, strip the petals, and rub it on the stigma of a female flower until the pollen transfers - I've found over the years that insects cannot be trusted to pollinate squashes and courgettes.

[Urban]

I reckon it might be all the wet weather we have had. Has been almost like autumn. Causing the fruit to fall. Hopefully should get better. My courgette and trombocino are looking a bit worse for wear. And no fruit as of yet

[mrbadexample]

Could it be blossom end rot??

Yes, I think that's probably the case.

I had a Google and found this:

Environmental conditions are the most common way for rot to attack yellow squash. Blossom end rot occurs when the soil moisture content goes from one extreme to the other. The soil is either very wet or bone dry, but never evenly moist, which is best for summer squash. The rot attacks the blossom end of the squash, which is the end of the fruit not attached to the stem. This form of rot turns the end of the squash black and mushy. To solve this issue, water the soil deeply and then apply a layer of mulch on top of the damp soil. This slows moisture evaporation so the soil ends up neither too wet nor very dry.

Which sums up my conditions well at the moment - it's now dry after a very wet spell.

I wouldn't discount lack of pollination but I was fairly sure the biggest one had been.

[Chrissyteacup]

Sorry MBE it’s so disappointing when your looking forward to a crop- but there will be more it’s still only the beginning of July! And at least you’ve had a crop my squash have all been a sulking with the previously wet weather!