Squash help please

[AnnB]

This is my first year of growing veg.I have a Butternut squash type (Hunter).
I have had plenty of flowers with the fruit forming behind them but the fruit only get to about an inch long,then go soft and break off. The fruits are laying on the soil,should I have something underneath them? I have removed some of the leaves so that the sun can get to them.Any Ideas please?
Thanks in advance.Ann.

[piskieinboots]

Firstly , welcome to the Vine AnnB

It's my first year of squash also (crown prince for me) so I'm guessing here, help will be along shortly. I would put a little straw under the fruits to stop rotting.

With regards to them dropped off - hum, are you giving them plenty of water and food? I remember being told they are water-demanding beasts. I have several fruits on the crown prince, all currently looking healthy (*crosses fingesr) - but I am giving masses of water and tomato feed.

Sensible help will be along when they have all gotten their head of their pillows, drank coffee and munched on bacon sarnies

[AnnB]

Thanks for the reply,I have been watering it everyday and tomato feed once a week.

[zazen999]

Right. I've been up for ages and have already planed a door down....will be making coffee in a minute then heading to the lottie.

Ok, squash....I've found the best specimens are when I've pollenated them myself - most of the others are falling off.

Find the next squash with a flower that is still attached and then find a male flower. Take the male stem and flower off the plant. Tear back the petals to find the stamen [not sure of the technical term, but the polleny bit]. Open up the female flower and insert male stamen into the centre of the female one. There are several bits and you can actually leave the stamen inside the female...Close up the female flower and tie with a bit of string. Put another bit of string around the neck of the squash [loosely, it's just to identify it later]......if you want to do this for seed saving you have to keep both flowers closed by tying string around the flower before it actually opens but if it is just for food then just tie it closed afterwards.

It is a bit fiddly, but most of the squashes on mine that are staying put and growing are from hand fertilisation.

Now, where's that kettle.......

[di]

.....and if you have no nor have had any female flowers???*sniffle sniffle!!!

[piskieinboots]

.....and if you have no nor have had any female flowers???*sniffle sniffle!!!

report it for sexism Harriet Harperson is the contact

[zazen999]

.....and if you have no nor have had any female flowers???*sniffle sniffle!!!

I've had 2 like that.....I'm afraid I'm brutal and pulled them out.

[di]

If it were just two....
It's nearly all of them!(& I grow a lot of winter squash!)
Our lottie neighbour has got half as many plants & three times as much fruit,so it's not the weather!
I still wonder if it's the seeds fault?They were cheap internet jobbies...maybe not up for the job?...but then would they have germinated at all?
Which F key will get me to Harriet?

[Alison Adams]

dumbing things down somewhat - how do you tell the difference between male and female flowers ?!

[gojiberry]

Hi AnnB and welcome to the vine. I wouldn't be feeding your plants not until they have some fruits formed and growing properly.Sounds very much like lack of proper fertilisation follow Zazen's instructions and you should be OK. Good luck.

Ian

[SuperDad]

I heard on the radio that butternut squash are very sensitive to weather. Given the summer we have had so far, this may well be a contributory factor. I was similarly concerned with my crop, but things have picked up over the last couple of weeks

[Lavenderblue]

I just have so much trouble growing butternuts its mad. I have no trouble with pumpkins, blue hubbards or red onions but I just cannot get butternuts to set. I personally think we are a bit far north to make them work without a pollytunnel or similar. Of course, ironically, butternut squash is my most favorite vegetable ever in the whole world and its the one thing i am desperate to grow. i keep trying but, alas, it may never be.

[Lovage]

Re lack of female flowers
I seem to remember reading about plants grown from older seed producing a higher number of female flowers.
Anyone experience of this?

[di]

I just have so much trouble growing butternuts its mad. I have no trouble with pumpkins, blue hubbards or red onions but I just cannot get butternuts to set. I personally think we are a bit far north to make them work without a pollytunnel or similar. Of course, ironically, butternut squash is my most favorite vegetable ever in the whole world and its the one thing i am desperate to grow. i keep trying but, alas, it may never be.

Don't give up!!!
One of my faves...after pumpkins,which this year have failed miserably!...are aubergines.This was to be,possibly my last year before giving up...Lo & behold I have at leastten fruits,busily growing away!

[di]

Re lack of female flowers
I seem to remember reading about plants grown from older seed producing a higher number of female flowers.
Anyone experience of this?

Well there I was ready for throwing out the left over seeds from this years disaster crops...maybe I should hang on to them???