Pollination

[Patrick Fenton]

Yesterday I watched a wonderful video on pollinating squash blossoms.  (Thank you for posting!)  The video showed the difference between a male flower and a female flower.  Well, I have blooms in both my aquaponic garden and out in the regular garden.  I have two plants in the aquaponic garden and ten hills in the regular garden.  I have had no squash all summer so I thought I would puff out my chest and go do some pollination.   Here's my question....  CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHY I ONLY HAVE MALE BLOSSOMS ON EVERY SINGLE PLANT?  (And I was soooo pleased that I was going to put my new knowledge to work!

[Converse]

Using only the info provided in your post, here is some info. you may find helpful....If your squash plants have just started blooming, often the first blossoms are only male flowers.  The mix of male and female flowers may start later....

[Patrick Fenton]

Thanks Converse, the flowers have been blooming since June and not a single squash.   Everything planted from seed except for two garden center plants, I just do not understand it.  Perhaps the Universe is trying to have a discussion with me. 

Converse said:

Using only the info provided in your post, here is some info. you may find helpful....If your squash plants have just started blooming, often the first blossoms are only male flowers.  The mix of male and female flowers may start later....

[Jon Parr]

Are they from seed that you planted, or a volunteers from the compost? Often times seeds from hybrid fruit will grow plants but not produce more fruit. My wife is notorious for letting whatever comes up have it's place in the garden, and sometimes those plants don't produce. By the way, we had a bizarre winter squash three years ago pop up that way, that made the best squash we've ever had, starchy like sweet potato. We replant seeds from it every year, and they are always different, cross-pollinating with others I guess.

[TCLynx]

Hum.  Most of the squash plants I've every messed with did get both male and female flowers eventually but I know there are some plants out there where you might get just males on one plant and just female on another but it really sucks if you got a packet of seeds with all male and no female.

 

 

[Patrick Fenton]

Hey Jon Parr and TCL

 

These were all from packaged store bought seeds.  I'm beginning to think it was the seeds except that the two "purchased plants" have had no fruit either.  Plants purchased from greenhouse/nursery and seeds purchased at Wally World. Guess it's just luck of the draw but strange.  Maybe I forgot to pay the "bribe money" to the bees?  Thanks for your help!

[TCLynx]

what kind of squash?

[Patrick Fenton]

Zucchini and yellow summer squash.  I can't think of the brand of seed but it a well known brand.

TCLynx said:

what kind of squash?

[Jon Parr]

You can't grow zucchini? That's like a cook that can't boil water! Lol, I'm just messin' with you. My guess is bad seed. Try hand pollinating and see what happens. Maybe what you need is "bribe Honey".

[Jon Parr]

Maybe it's a gay squash?

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi Jon,

Very interesting comment. I grew a cut stem from a hybrid tomato plant. It not only grew erratically producing sucker stems but fruit was approx. 30% of what the mother plant gave. Apparently they were not "designed" for propagation. 

Jon Parr said:

Are they from seed that you planted, or a volunteers from the compost? Often times seeds from hybrid fruit will grow plants but not produce more fruit. My wife is notorious for letting whatever comes up have it's place in the garden, and sometimes those plants don't produce. By the way, we had a bizarre winter squash three years ago pop up that way, that made the best squash we've ever had, starchy like sweet potato. We replant seeds from it every year, and they are always different, cross-pollinating with others I guess.

[Patrick Fenton]

Well, the plants look pretty happy!  LOL

Jon Parr said:

Maybe it's a gay squash?

[Patrick Fenton]

Hi Harold,

I've had excellent luck propagating tomato cuttings.  The cutting that is best to propagate from a tomato plant is the third or middle stem that grows directly out from between the main stem and a major branch.  This third stem grows right out of the "V" caused by the two branches. 

 

If I'm not going to propagate them I pick them off as soon as they start.  Trimming these off will give the mother plant more energy and a better yield. 

 

Now I will say Jon, LOL, that although I have no squash, none of the neighbors around here have any red tomatoes!  We're making fresh salsa everyday!!!!!!! (And the best the neighbors can do right now would be fried green tomatoes!!!!)

 

Seriously, I think your right and I appreciate all the help!

Harold Sukhbir said:

Hi Jon,

Very interesting comment. I grew a cut stem from a hybrid tomato plant. It not only grew erratically producing sucker stems but fruit was approx. 30% of what the mother plant gave. Apparently they were not "designed" for propagation. 

Jon Parr said:

Are they from seed that you planted, or a volunteers from the compost? Often times seeds from hybrid fruit will grow plants but not produce more fruit. My wife is notorious for letting whatever comes up have it's place in the garden, and sometimes those plants don't produce. By the way, we had a bizarre winter squash three years ago pop up that way, that made the best squash we've ever had, starchy like sweet potato. We replant seeds from it every year, and they are always different, cross-pollinating with others I guess.