Solving Squash Problems - Fruit Rotting or Dropping Off?

Christy Wilhelmi of Gardenerd shares 4 reasons why your summer or winter squash fruits may be rotting or dropping off. These solutions will help keep your harvest basket full this season.
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Find out more about hand pollinating in this blog post:
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[@ravenlemarque1401]

Scratch most of what is taught in schools and replace it with this type of wisdom and information and the world will be a better place... Shalom from MN!

[@janbartlett3592]

Christy, I am sooooo glad I happened upon your channel! I will devour everything you have written about, and really appreciate your sharing heart! I also will get your book...I'm a displanted Valley Girl myself, and love things with an LA setting...especially something that includes gardening!! Stay safe and happy 🥰🤗😉😃

[@Gardenerd]

So glad you found us! Enjoy the videos, books, and podcasts. We hope they help you garden better.

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

Great information! Hello from Arizona zone 9B 😎

[@kerryevans2038]

Great info well explaineed, thank you from an Aussie

[@prisillaspace]

Thank you!!!!!! I haven’t sowed squash seeds, however I’ve had volunteers….1 began to grow in my compost and has begun fruiting 😃 I’ll trim/prune tomorrow 👍 Another one began growing in garden bed, blooming, then flowers would fall off. Sadly I didn’t have time to research….so I cut it out…I need to research and ‘plan’ to sow squash seeds, they germinate quickly!!!!

[@abuskeleke3378]

Thanks for sharing this great video

[@glomontero6011]

Thank you for this info. I’m going to try everything you talked about.

[@ssssd706]

Very helpful ❤

[@JustME-ft4di]

So, that’s great. I’ve been wondering if I can use my Epsom Salts bath water on the garden.

[@kwazuluinternational7972]

Thank you from Zululand South Africa, most especially for the information about the narrow window of opportunity for self pollination. Ive been wondering why the females are always closed. Thank you

[@truthinentertainment1028]

I think you alluded to one of the solutions to the powdery mildew problem and that is to only water at the base of the plant and not from above.

[@Gardenerd]

Correct. In some circumstances, even that doesn't prevent PM. Community garden situations, for example, where everyone is watering their plots any old way. It drifts, and there's not much one can do about that.

[@hollylarsen8944]

Not related but I believe you had mentioned that you are battling a neighbors roots invading your vegetable bed. I have a similar problem and have considered using root barrier fabric. Any suggestions?

[@Gardenerd]

Yep, we've got a video for that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZOwc52ah7WNhLM

[@davidfillhardt9174]

How much epsom salts to 1 gal of water? Thank you so much for the info you are appreciated thank you

[@Gardenerd]

If I recall (haven't had to do this in a while) it's 2 tbs to 1 gallon of water.

[@user-nq2ks7kp4b]

I really face this problem in Pakistan

[@coachtim6188]

Well how disappointing. Here I thought I was the only garden nerd. Well I guess it's good to begin to find my tribe. 😁

[@Gardenerd]

You are most definitely in good company @coachtime6188. :-)

[@coachtim6188]

@@Gardenerd Haha! Love it.

[@Trust_but_Verify]

The unopened male flower is not viable?

[@Gardenerd]

Male flowers only serve to pollinate the female flowers. They do not bear fruit themselves. These are the flowers most used in stuffed/fried squash blossoms (harvested unopened). Just as long as you leave enough for pollination, you can harvest and use those male flowers for this purpose.

[@davidjones8164]

I get almost all male blooms

[@Gardenerd]

Male flowers show up first, then the females later on. If you don't see females, check your soil nutrient levels for phosphorus and potassium. They have a lot to do with fruit production. A plant will abort what it can't support.

[@davidjones8164]

@@Gardenerd My plants are very full and I'm healthy My first production of summer blooms was about a dozen male - no females. I added POTASSIUM and Magnesium about 2 weeks ago and again Yesterday. I now have one squash fruit and one male blooms. I have harvested 2 Zucchini fruit and have no blooms. They are beside the summer squash. Same problem last year in the same spot so I'm sure it's a nutrition issue in a raised bed (12") filled with black cow, topsoil, potting soil and some sand to give drainage. Small 4' x 20' bed at my townhouse. PH is neutral.