Why Aren't My Squashes Fruiting? Boost pollination of squash, zucchini/courgettes & pumpkins

[@lilskizors]

I've found that removing the male flowers and storing them in the fridge until there are female flowers to hand pollinate works quite well! I've stored them in this way for up to a week and no issues with this method so far 🙂

[@PettyBlue1]

Brilliant idea!

[@dccraig3222]

I came here to say this very same thing. It works so well!

[@Silkiesmom]

Wow! Excellent tip

[@looneygardener]

Wow!

[@mariedeyo7399]

Thats something to try, thank you so much. I prune and polanate by Hand when I happen to see a female flower about open. but often there is not a male one when they are needed. Just like life 😁 thanx and take care. Have a great garden year. 🙋🏼‍♀️

[@joburgerer4127]

Oh wow reading these comments made me realise I am not the only one out there obsessed with gardening. Where I live this hobby carries a sigma - especially since I am in my early 20's and its not really something that people my age do. But finding other people who are passionate really makes me happy. I've been growing things since I was nine - starting with pole beans and spinach. I am tackling indigenous African herbs and strawberries this summer. I can't wait until I can move to a bigger place so that I have more space to experiment in the vegetable garden. I am so grateful that I discovered this passion of mine early on. I can geek out on this pastime for many, many season to come. Excellent video, Ben. Lots of love from Johannesburg

[@GrowVeg]

Really great to hear you are so passionate about gardening - it's a great hobby to have! I also started when I was very young and grew from there. It's so satisfying to be able to grow something from seed. Power to the gardeners! Cheers for watching, and I hope you get a bigger garden soon. :-)

[@dh.recantoverde]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGKwdnqprrV1itU

[@carlduffin]

Never had a problem- apart from finding enough people to share the fruits with.

[@plants4thewin]

That dog is soooo cute. They are the best buddies in the garden.

[@GrowVeg]

She certainly keeps an eye on while I'm gardening!

[@TwoMarshmallows1]

Thank you, so helpful! And Rosie was adorable, as always.

[@TarryLordTarry]

Good Lord!! Your video is super compact. Short and everything in it. Didn't have to watch so many hours just to get the exact info that's needed. Thanks!

[@malcolmstamp5106]

Why do people put a dislike on a really informative video? Bizarre. I've been gardening for years and it's always good to be reminded of tips and learn new ideas. Thankyou

[@petem6354]

Excellent video; short, pithy and no wasted time. If only others followed this model.

[@alanoffer]

I took advice from an old gardener here in SW France to grow pot it maron , cut back the trailing vine back to two leaves when it gets to five leaves , it’s mid July and I’ve got four plants growing already a nice size ! It’s a very popular vegetable to grow here , And I have no trouble with the flowers being fertilised we’ve got very handy bee hives close by , They don’t seem to be affected by the lack of sun this summer , but the melons I normally grow are a disaster it’s rained almost all of June and July , ,,PS excellent channel it’s been a help to me ,

[@GrowVeg]

That's a very good-looking squash - a lovely variety to grow.

[@onionring1531]

My pumpkins were aborting their fruit for almost two months even with hand pollinating to help them along. Though as soon as the plants got bigger and the temperatures cooled down a little I had no problems anymore.

[@dahutful]

Prune your squash. Remove the large “umbrella” leaves, and those crossing others. The goal is to open the structure. This lets in air and light. It exposed the flowers so pollinators can find them. It reduces mildew and fungal problems. Bugs like it dark and hidden… this takes that away from them.

[@lynnrushton7458]

I did this for the first time last year.......will be doing it again, makes such a difference 👌

[@wonderwomanwales3803]

I tried this as the leaves were massive. Are they edible? xxx

[@sparklemotion8377]

I have mini courgettes since I stopped pruning...

[@donnahornby1195]

I thought I had blossom end wilt but now figure it's probably that female flowers are not being adequately pollinated. So informative as always. Thank you.

[@tarren452]

Having my second go at squash this year after all the fruit withering last year...got loads more pollinater-friendly plants about, and two of each squash plant rather than one, so fingers crossed for more success!! This video was really great - concise, encouraging and showed me how to do the hand pollinating which I've found a bit confusing in the past! Thanks!

[@GrowVeg]

You're very welcome Nicola. Good luck with this year's squash.

[@lisadunphy2085]

Hoping for more success this year with my zucchini, pumpkins and cucumbers. Great tips.

[@fionataylor4014]

Was struggling to find info on feeding, watering and pollination of melon and you just answered all my questions and more. Cheers for that 👍

[@laurieanne9712]

I always get the greatest tips from you!

[@brooklyngiraffe]

This is such a helpful tutorial. I’ll definitely be pollinating the female flowers using your tips. I’m so excited to see how my zucchini turn out. Thank you!

[@gagaliar]

I just asked in another video if you could make a video on pumpkins lol. Found it here under squash. I grow tons of zucchini and types of squash but have only produced pumpkins once. This will be a great help in the coming years. Thank you for the great video. Take care and Stay Safe

[@GrowVeg]

Glad you found it!

[@639viablecarrot]

I'm trying to grow squash, pumpkin and cucumber here in Bali (100 miles off the equator) and we're at the start of flowering stage so this was "all" really useful to know. Thank you.

[@valeriewilkinson1897]

Very good video- to the point and helpful tips, thank you.

[@looneygardener]

Love your cute assistant.

[@vicmazzaro9403]

Hi Ben, this is the first ear to try growing pumpkins. Your video I just loved to watch great information. Keep them coming as I’m learning so much from you. I tell everyone I know to go to your channel and learn from your experience. Thanks again and I look forward to the next video

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks so much for your support. Happy gardening! :-)

[@StuWNZ]

Very useful. Its spring here Going into summer so I'm looking forward to this seasons crop.

[@irishwanderer_]

Thank you, I didn't know they are more receptive in the morning. I must try this.

[@beentheredonethat6584]

Not only that but there is more pollen on the male flowers if you get going before the bees arrive!

[@thehoustonvideoproductionc311]

Very helpful as always!

[@AndrewMartinIsHere]

Thanks Ben, I knew I needed to fertilise mine, and have the tomato feed for it, but you’ve just motivated me to go and do it. Thanks.

[@MarkusWITH_a_k]

Same problem it seems like I was have i staying tuned to see how to fix this. Thanks friend

[@50sorrowC]

I have 4 pumpkin plants each in a 20 liter grow pot. They seem to like it so far and are producing a lot of blossom and have already 4,5 fruits each.

[@GrowVeg]

That's great progress - you're in for a great crop!

[@davegreen3262]

You just answered my squash problem, my yellow squash is 4 ft. In diameter and 3 ft. Tall . Thank you. 👍👍

[@hollynelson543]

Already knew this but still enjoyed your video throughly.

[@TheEnglishladyskitchengarden]

This has been a really useful video for me. Thanks for making the time to create it.

[@kenz33s]

YAAAAAAAY ITS BEN. Thanks for sharing as always

[@GrowVeg]

You're very welcome mate!

[@skjudy]

Love your videos - they are so helpful! Many thanks

[@deborahnickson4063]

Another brilliantly succinct and helpful video. Thank you! 😀🌱

[@gaildavenport4785]

Really helpful advice on how to get my courgettes to grow

[@danilueloo]

Thanks so much for the information! Never knew about the male and female plants and differences.

[@anapaulacrawford5837]

I am so behind on everything do the freeze weather we had in south east Texas. That now everything is out of order. How well, is always next year! Awesome information! God bless!

[@therusticranchgarden]

My zucchini and squash just did not do well this year. I hardly saw any bees. May have been due to the hard freeze that TEXAS had ! But I will not give up. Thanks for this great information.

[@GrowVeg]

Hope you get a good crop eventually.

[@jeremyturner3120]

Your videos are so informative and helpful, thank you. Keep up the good work.

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers Jeremy!

[@DT-oy3kj]

First time seeing your hairy companion. Super cute one!

[@davidmees5562]

Great video, clear and easy to understand! 👍👍👍 thanks

[@georginaCsweeting]

I'm struggling with this so much thank you for posting!

[@bequietfaryal]

I planted some “mystery” seeds a while ago and am now getting a squash type plant. Can’t identify it fully, and it still hasn’t fruited. Hopefully these tips will help

[@carriec910]

Thanks so much! My zucchini plant is only producing one flower a day. Will try fertilizing.

[@suemar63]

Incredibly helpful. Thank you!

[@virginiaallisonpeck2517]

Thanks so much for the excellent information. I enjoy your videos ❤🎚🕊🙏🏼🇺🇸🥬🐝🥕🥦🪺🌺🌹🌼🌻🌸

[@GrowVeg]

You're very welcome - really appreciate your support. :-)

[@littlemogocreek]

That was very interesting to learn. Thank you for sharing.

[@yaneejitkaeo]

Hi, thank you very much for your tips, it’s very helpful.I’m growing 6 different varieties of zucchini or squashes and 3 different varieties of cucumbers so hopefully I will get good harvest out of it this year ❤️👍

[@GrowVeg]

Fingers crossed you will - that's a nice mix you've got growing.

[@CoastalGardensNW]

I have a few diffren squash on the go very helpful thanks Ben stay safe my friend 👍 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@jeffree9015]

cute doggo

[@PloughmansBackyard]

Great video. A lot of this we do as well, but I do enjoy watching your videos

[@beth6102]

My first garden and the Vine Borers got in both my zucchini plants. I cut the stalk and took out 6 worms, put the stalk back with dirt, and wrapped with aluminum foil. O ne plant died and the other looks good and is growing. But no fruit, only flowers. I'll do better next year after learning a lot this year. Thanks for the information.

[@GardensforLife]

Great info! We planted up a new pumpkin patch this year with about 100 uchiki kuri's. Last year didn't get around to growing pumpkins hardly at all. Things are looking promising this time around though! :D

[@looneygardener]

Pollinated butternuts by hand last year! Successful! Have two left! Going to try with cucumber this year, as I have yet to have a decent crop.o

[@Silkiesmom]

Because there's no good reason for cucumbers, LOL!

[@looneygardener]

@@Silkiesmom I tend to agree. It's now a matter of me vs cucumbers, and I must, as a sentient being, dominate the fickle, seeded, phallus.

[@shiranotes]

I love your garden, thanks so much!

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Shira. :-)

[@marksallotmentplot]

Great video as always Ben. Some really useful tips 👍

[@l.k.daysoffuturepast5063]

Nice video very informative 👍🏾

[@papablueshirt]

A lot of great tips, I am dealing with too many leaves and not much fruit. I found that using tomato spikes on squash does not work very well.

[@Pumpkincambo]

Always love ur great work❤💚🌱🍍🍓🌻🌺

[@FLAMINGNORA]

This was my first year trying to grow anything. I put a bargain squash plant that was half dead into a very large pot. I didn't have much hope for it but I thought I'd give it a go. I kept it well watered and used tomato feed. I have ended up with 2 fruits on the plant but they seem to be round in shape. I am wondering if I move the fruits and let them hang over the side of the pot it will take on the proper shape? Who knows - watch this space.

[@GrowVeg]

I think it may be best to keep them where they are if they're doing fine, to avoid any possibility of damage. I hope they come good for you.

[@tombranca244]

Good info. little confusing to hear for hand pollinating to select a mature male flower that has just opened or is about to open. That doesn't seem to be a mature flower?

[@GrowVeg]

Hi Tom. It is a mature flower. As soon as it's opened it's mature, so just-opened ones will be at their prime and good to go.

[@LorraineG123]

Thank you, super information.

[@VictoryInYeshuaMinistry]

Very helpful video. Thanks! :)

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

Cheap supermarket brand bitter gets a lot of slugs - don't trap the beneficial beetles though, so have the lip of your container proud of the ground. Also, keep the rain out - even slugs don't like beer that's too watered down.

[@GrowVeg]

That's a great tip about keeping it just proud of the ground. Smart move.

[@MaLuisa_Peinado_Vallejo.]

Helpful. Thank you very much

[@chuckguy5815]

Thanks Ben. Great advice. I have a 4 footed garden buddy too- Riley. Who is your pal?

[@GrowVeg]

She's called Rosie. A very enthusiastic helper in the garden!

[@shiponahmed9168]

I prefer to use cotton buds because they are more like the body of a bee. Also you can clearly see the collected pollen against the white.

[@GrowVeg]

That's true - you'll be able to more clearly see what you're doing.

[@lisawan1279]

So helpful. Thanks

[@creimom2536]

Thank you for the information and explaining it so well. That cute puppy looks like he's kinda "forced" into the picture, though.

[@antoniawildmedia]

Hello! I’m Ben’s camera operator. Please let me assure you that about our dear Rosie is determined to follow Ben wherever he goes! It is almost impossible to keep her out of the shots, so we have finally decided after many hours of trying to film around her that it is easier to let her go where she will! It would certainly be easier if we didn’t have Rosie with us all the time eating all the camera gear and bombing all the shots but she’s just so lovely that we don’t have the heart to move her. I hope that puts your mind at rest. Thank you.

[@wonderfulherennow]

I live in Glasgow, Scotland. My honeynut has been shedding it's fruits after I have pollinated them. the flower wilts on the fruit itself after I have pollinated it with a male flower and then the fruit turns yellow and rots away. I even tried taking off the flower 3 or 4 days after pollination. But the fruit still goes yellow, doesn't grow in size and dies. I've lost 4 fruits so far. there's one which seems to be doing fine. I wonder if I might be doing something wrong.

[@GrowVeg]

So sorry to hear this - not sure what might be going on there. Are you plants getting enough direct sunshine and are you feeding them to help with fruit set? A high potassium feed such as a tomato fertiliser could help.

[@rosepetal45]

Ben can you explain why some say to remove male flowers for some cucumbers because they say pollinated cucumbers become bitter. But how can you get a cucumber if the female is not pollinated? TIA 🙂

[@DebRoo11]

I bought a variety I'm growing this year, that only produce female flowers with fruits. Problem is, more than half the fruits are not thriving and die off as if not pollinated. In the past my cukes were bitter with very little females and a load of male flowers.

[@rauljimenez8132]

Beit Alpha Cucumber is an heirloom, open-pollinated cucumber variety that is parthenocarpic, meaning it doesn’t require pollinators. This makes it a great variety for growing in greenhouses or urban areas where pollinator presence may be reduced. Because they are parthenocarpic, the fruits have very few, if any, seeds.

[@GrowVeg]

The all-female varieties are basically self fertile, meaning you only need the female flowers. In theory they aren't even pollinated - they simply produce seedless fruits. I'm not sure why the presence of male flowers makes some fruits taste bitter, but I guess the natural taste of a pollinated fruit is perhaps on the bitter side.

[@beentheredonethat6584]

@@rauljimenez8132 I am growing Beit Alpha for the first time this year. So far I have harvested 2 Speedway and 1 Best Slice but there's no sign of any fruit on the Beit Alpha. Early days yet!

[@rauljimenez8132]

@@beentheredonethat6584 It was crazy productive for me last year.

[@mymotivation5362]

Nice job👌👌

[@bettygilliland456]

Thanks!!!

[@marcl4221]

Great advice in a concise video. What do you do when the female flowers are opening up and no males are open? How many days will the females survive without pollination before the fruit starts to rot?

[@Silkiesmom]

Sophie (above) says....

[@GrowVeg]

Hi Marc. Here's what Sophie recommends (I've never tried this but it sounds like a great idea!): I've found that removing the male flowers and storing them in the fridge until there are female flowers to hand pollinate works quite well! I've stored them in this way for up to a week and no issues with this method so far.

[@marcl4221]

@@GrowVeg Thanks for taking the time to reply. The problem is that I have zero male flowers even close to opening up, and today I had my second batch of female flowers all ready to be pollinated. What we have tried is to take the largest male flower and gently rip it open, in the hopes there is enough pollen to do the job. I'm not sure how long it takes to find out if pollination was successful, but at least for the ones we did a few days ago, they are still growing and haven't shown signs of rotting.

[@Silkiesmom]

Good to know! Thanks for the info Just wondering if this works for tomatoes also?

[@LeaveItToLila]

I just tap or wiggle the tomato blossoms for 5 or 10 second and the pollen sets the fruit. Works every time!

[@GrowVeg]

We have a video on pollinating tomatoes coming out very soon! But yes, you can tap, wiggle or twang tomato supports as Lilas suggests to help them along.

[@DreamsOfGardening]

Great video thank you again!! Is the beer trape for slugs?? Does it also work for pesky Catapillas??

[@GrowVeg]

The beer trap is just for the slugs, yes. :-)

[@DreamsOfGardening]

@@GrowVeg Thank you!!

[@lyndaturner6686]

Well timed video , I was beginning to wonder why my courgettes had produced a couple of fruits which had rotted , thought I was doing something wrong , I will now feed tomato feed to them as well .

[@anthonykandes9683]

Dad always used a rabbits tall to pollinate all sorts of fruit and vegetables,💐🍈🍉

[@GrowVeg]

What a great idea!

[@anthonykandes9683]

@@GrowVeg only problem is everyone can't catch a rabbit,🐰lol

[@timtation5837]

Good video Ben, (still too heavy on the dog… Always leave the puppy nuts wanting more)… Anyway… Deadhead all the flowers (on small plants) and use them in a stir fry. It gets the plant back on track to getting bigger before flowering and fruiting. Once the plant reaches a decent size, cut back on the water and watch them jump into reproduction mode…. Then go back to regular water and shift focus to pollination getting fruit. It also helps to plant sacrificial plants outside the garden or on the outermost edges to intercept pests. If and when the pests arrive, unleash the chickens on them and wipe them out before they get to the main garden.

[@GrowVeg]

Great advice Tim - thanks for sharing that!

[@bipbip6626]

Bonjour! I have 2 pumpkin plants i bought for 1 pound the 2 pots[ 2 seeds!] in May, maybe… They have developed so well… I got to the stage when they just looked like 2 water melons, then they ve been turning orange quite suddenly and beautifully! UNTIL… Their leaves[ the few i kept for sunshine on them [still enough]] were covered by sudden mildew. All of them , on all the surfaces! Ahhhhhh…..these episodes of rain, rain rain…! They still look ok, still getting into the pumpkins we buy in a shop, but what a sight! What should i do: Do nothing as long as everything seem to work out ok? Wash the mildew [ white like snow] and contaminate the soil? Cut the leaves and water the root more? Please let me know…. Thank you!

[@GrowVeg]

Mildew seems to be inevitable from this point in the year. You cut the worst affected leaves off and new ones may grow to replace them. Otherwise, if the fruits have grown well, I’d just leave them be and remove everything to the compost heap at the end of the seasonz

[@bipbip6626]

@@GrowVeg can you really compost mildew? Also: there are so few big leaves and they are all hit by mildew, i think i ll cross my fingers and let things happen… My 2 pumpkins look so mystical, the rest of the raised beds too….., and my black feral cat keeps a check on all of them , as if he knew this part of the garden is my kingdom, so his too!

[@ninad5692]

Very interesting, I understand much more now about male/female flowers now on courgettes/cucumbers now so I'll be watching mine with a close eye!

[@jasenanderson8534]

I had a huge pumpkin vine sprawling all over the front yard, producing loads of flowers male and female, did the hand pollenation thing too but nothing took, not one fruit and to this day cannot work out why other than the weather was rather hot. I had to cut it right back due to work being done in the yard but left a portion of it. It continues to grow and now has one fruit, in winter. Does the weather impact fruiting?

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, if it's very hot this can stifle pollination and encourage more male flowers over female flowers. So that could have been the problem.

[@jasenanderson8534]

@@GrowVeg makes sense. That one popped up out of compost, so I might try planting at a cooler time of year and see how that gets on. Living in the subtropics has its downside for some plants I suppose

[@jodiperdue5899]

I have one bed with 15 yellow squash plants, and an adjacent bed with 15 zucchini plants. I transplanted the seedlings into the garden in early April. The yellow squash have been producing for about a month and are fairly prolific, but I have only collected a meager 2 zucchini. They took over a month to produce female blossoms, but they never seem to grow big enough to even bloom. They typically grow to 1-2 inches long and then just drop off. The conditions are identical for both varieties... same soil, same fertilizer, same pollinators, same watering schedule. Any idea why the zucchini are so stubborn? Thank you for your wonderful content! God bless!

[@GrowVeg]

No sure what's going on there Jodi. You could try supplemental feeding with a tomato feed or similar. Bit of a mystery though I have to say.

[@Lucaspetricultiva]

Muito bom! tento sempre fazer vídeos legais assim também, parabéns!

[@somai_1]

What if my male and female flowers are not blooming at the same time? Can i store the male flowers in the fridge for a week and then manually pollinate?

[@GrowVeg]

In time both male and female flowers should be being put out by the plant at the same time. This is one reason why it's worth growing more than one plant - to increase the odds of both flowers being about at the same time. I've never tried refrigerating the male flowers to hold them ready. I'm not sure how successful this would be, but it's certainly worth a try.

[@DebRoo11]

I'm having a heck of a time with squash bugs and cucumber beetles. They're in every flower. arghhh

[@leslie-lynnesinkey1225]

I've lost several years crops of squash to squash bugs...I almost squashed my computer screen out of reflex when the picture came up! The best thing I've found is an organic insecticidal soap (Safers'). I mixed that up in a spray bottle and keep it by the back door. Every couple of days I grab it on my way out the door and go on patrol, which only takes a couple of minutes--besides, being able to scream "Die, squash bug, DIE!" is very satisfying. Whenever I see them, I zap 'em, but because I'm spraying them directly, there isn't collateral damage. I zap the egg clusters, too--I've seen a few of those, but no nymphs, and they should have hatched by now, so I think it's working. It's so much easier than trying to squash the eggs--you can zap 'em even if you can't reach 'em, and there's much less chance of damaging the leaves or stems than physically squashing them. This is the first year that I've tried it, and so far my curcurbits haven't disappeared under a welter of bugs, the way they usually have by now. The only curcurbit that survived last year was a bottle gourd, and it went on a world domination tour and produced six big gourds. I think it's because they have very fuzzy leaves, and they don't like them. Since varieties vary in fuzziness, maybe choosing one with more fuzz will help. My least-fuzzy leaved plants are always the first to go, so give that a try!

[@ZanddyH]

You can also make a spray out of hot peppers, black pepper and garlic. Throw about a spoonful of each (chopped) in the blender with a cup of water and teaspoon of vinegar. Let it sit for at least 12 hours, strain, add 6 or 7 more cups of water and spray your plants once a week. This has really helped my plants this year even with the really wet and buggy summer we're having.

[@looneygardener]

@@leslie-lynnesinkey1225 me too! So for two years no squash of any sort. So far so good the last few years.

[@joeymarie50]

I am doing quite well with squash bugs this year. I keep a jar filled with soapy water at the garden and inspect the leaves daily. When I find eggs or even the bugs they go into the soapy water. I just tear off the portion of leaf the eggs are on.

[@i2ndsight]

We can only grow Moschata type squash due to squash borers.

[@skipslone7237]

A potential solution to this problem I recently learned about, and plan to try next season, is to plant Blue Hubbard squash nearby. They tend to be more attractive to the vine borer moths, and can withstand the subsequent attack of the caterpillars. In this way, the Blue Hubbard acts as a type of trap crop.

[@i2ndsight]

@@skipslone7237 Blue Hubbard squash takes up a lot of space but worth itcif you can get squash to market down here. They're getting a dollar each for small zucchini down here.

[@skipslone7237]

@@i2ndsight Since I live in central Florida (zone 9b), I actually tried a winter squash variety this year that I had never grown before - Seminole pumpkin. It has been doing quite well, but the growing behavior is unlike anything I’ve ever grown. It puts out long runners, and then those put down roots. Before you know it, the old part of the vine has died, but the new section is doing well. It has been doing that for months, basically crawling all over the yard in that fashion. What started out as one plant has become three (at present, at least), one of which is just now finding its way back to where the original plant started out. I’ve harvested a few pumpkins now and then (a little bigger than an acorn squash and considerably sweeter).

[@b.a.mcclucky]

yes, but how do you get them to flower? Mine have barely grown and have pathetic if any flowers at all.

[@GrowVeg]

Make sure they have enough sunshine and maybe begin feeding them with an organic liquid feed that is higher in potassium - like a tomato feed. This should encourage more/better flower production.

[@shawnkennedy-lee6248]

We had a late frost (late May) that zapped my cucumbers, squash, and peppers. Since then, all the plants seem stunted. They're all less than 12 inches in diameter and haven't grown. Did the frost stunt them? Is there anything I can do to save them?

[@GrowVeg]

They should have recovered by now, but it seems the frost may well have stunted them. The weather can make a big difference to growth rates too - our summer has been quite cool here and things are still lagging behind where they should be at this time of year, but I'm sure they will pick up sooner or later. Just keep your plants properly watered and fed and hopefully they'll recover in time.

[@mruggier0]

Why do I only have male flowers? I had two female and now that I picked the zucchini , not a single female on the entire plant . What is the problem and what can I do so this doesn't happen next year. Is it too late for zone 5 to do anything about it? The plant looks healthy and large and I clipped big leaves so the bees can pollinate.

[@GrowVeg]

Plants sometimes go in stages of producing one flower over another. This is why having more than one plant can be so useful. Keep feeding your plant and hopefully some balance might return in time.

[@jellydog81]

Thank you, can you make a runner beans video? I've been growing my beans on two arches and it's going well but the flowers are falling off! Any tips on what I can do to increase runner beans or is this normal? Thank you

[@GrowVeg]

They can be a bit temperamental at the start of summer before they really get into the swing of things and really pump out the flowers and beans. It's just a question of waiting for them to hit their stride. And everything you can do encourage pollinating insects into your garden generally should help.

[@jellydog81]

@@GrowVeg thank you, I grew runner beans on a small teepee last year and I was lucky to get 4 small sized beans so this time I have gone big... big 6ft arch and more beans in the hope that I may get a better harvest this time 🙏🤞

[@chaskamcjones906]

I have unfortunately had to stop growing squash at all. We have terrible squash bugs in our garden that kill squash plants and some melons. It is so frustrating. Because I grow organically I have not found anything natural that can get rid of these pests and I don’t have the time to remove them and their eggs by hand. Any luck getting rid of these bugs?

[@GrowVeg]

We don't have this pest where I grow. You might want to check out our squash bug guide: www.growveg.com/pests/us-and-canada/squash-bug/

[@emmswalker8880]

Hi, I seem to have a problem with ants being attracted to and filling up the inside of my flowers - any suggestions?/will this affect the possible fruit? (Squash flowers)

[@GrowVeg]

I wouldn't worry - the ants will be acting as pollinators in this regard, and will be pushed out as the squash grow.

[@MrOverHeels]

I don't know if this only a tropical climate problem, but try to keep fruit flies away from your plants. They're not like bees. They can ruin the male flowers too. I find covering the flowers with transparent plastic bags the day before it blooms works quite well if you want to hand pollinate.

[@GrowVeg]

Great tip Andra, many thanks.

[@mybrosteve]

I've read that insufficient calcium in the soil can also cause the fruit to rot away before they get to any significant size, is this true? I started putting some eggshells around the base of my Zucchini plants to give them a little extra calcium just in case.

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, they can suffer from blossom end rot, which is a separate issue related to insufficient calcium. Applying a balanced liquid feed suited to tomatoes will help to avoid this.

[@CarlsVlogs]

Hi there, i planted my pumpkins in late June so i will be lucky to get any fruit as we have had alot of bad weather especially in May this year. Im using Tomorite feed on them twice a week. One pumpkin is in the green house amongst Tomato plants. And i have 4 outside, but due to the bad weather im sure im going to get any Pumpkins. And it will be my second attempt. Can i make them grow any fast between now and Halloween?? have a nice weekend.

[@GrowVeg]

The best you can do is offer them a sunny spot in really rich, fertile soil. Add lots of organic matter - compost is great - to the planting area and let them root into the ground as the stems spread, which will give them more energy.

[@Ejmvdk16]

What kind of dog is this? So cute!!😍😍

[@GrowVeg]

She's a cavapoo. :-)

[@Ejmvdk16]

@@GrowVeg thankyou for your answer.☺️ She is really a lovely dog!

[@anthonyparkinson1056]

How many can you fit in a raised bed off your size ?

[@GrowVeg]

In my smaller 1x1.2m beds I would say two to three plants per bed.

[@anthonyparkinson1056]

@@GrowVeg cheers my beds are about the same size used pallet collars then I have some a bit bigger

[@dawnmischka]

Just watching this video while bees are pollinating my zucchini ❤

[@Bobcagon]

What do you say when the female flower does not open at all?

[@GrowVeg]

Keep feeding and watering. They should open eventually.