Buttersquash!

[mic]

first one I've ever ever grown. How exciting!

[Zelenina]

Looks very promising. Are there any male flowers around to pollinate it?

[mic]

the rest of the plant is on floor level where there are flowers, this shoot decided to climb and theres no others around. i could pollinate myself if i knew what i was doing

[burnie]

Small paint brush and make a noise like a bee...........................

[Zelenina]

If there are any bees around they might do it for you, but it's best not to take that chance with your first one. If it doesn't get pollinated, the little squash will wither and fall off which would be very disappointing.

But hand pollinating squashes is easy because they have big flowers. There are a couple of different techniques but here's the easiest one.

First check the flowers round the bottom to see if you can tell the difference between male flowers and the female one in your photo. They're just attached to a stem with no mini squash behind them. Pick one that's already open, with a bit of the stem to hold it by, and peel back the petals, or even remove them, so you're left with the yellow bit in the middle sticking up like a wand. That's the part that does the business. If it's at the right stage for pollinating you should be able to see some yellow dust, which is the pollen, when you rub it on your hand.

You can't use that actual one because the female flower isn't open yet, but look for one or more male flowers at the same stage as the female, with green unopened petals, that should be ready at the same time.

Then watch your female flower on top of the mini squash for the next evening or two. When the petals start turning yellow you can expect it to be open the next morning. When that happens you can pick a male flower, peel back the petals, and use the yellow part like a paintbrush to gently rub or jiggle it on the bits at the centre of the open female flower. You can do it with more than one male flower to be more certain. It's supposed to work best if you do it in the morning. Fingers crossed!

[mic]

Sounds like a plan. This is the current flowers, no goodies below the petals

[KevinM67]

Just shove it in and wriggle it around a bit - that's what I do.

[veggiechicken]

No comment, Kelvin Nice to see ya BTW

[burnie]

Is there a norty step for you two..........................

[veggiechicken]

We're still there from last time, burnie,

Mod,

Sir

[KevinM67]

No comment, Kelvin Nice to see ya BTW

Hi VC.

Yeh, I still check in most days - but struggle for time to post anything.

Anyway, good to see you're a 'poacher' again !!!

[mic]

Update.... spread it open, rubbed the male part up and down in it for 30(ish) seconds and pulled out.

Just hope I don't have to wait 9 months.