Squash issues

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Iluv2hunt
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Squash issues

Post by Iluv2hunt » Wed May 15, 2013 3:21 pm

I am at a loss on my squash. I have several rows of squash of various varieties and about 5 plants per row. The plants are nice and big and are producing a TON of flowers every day.

Problem 1. They are not setting any fruit. I can only find a couple zucchini that look like they are set. All the flowers open up nice and pretty, then just drop off

Problem 2. I am losing a few plants to an unknown. I will notice the plant leaves will all of a sudden wilt, then within 2 days max the once healthy plant is d.e.a..d.... Possibly ground grubs? This has happened to about 5 plants now. I pulled one today that was healthy as could be Monday..dead as a door nail today


If it matters..this end of the garden is the most sunny part. It gets direct sunlight from like 10-5, filtered sun/shade before and after that
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swissk31
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Re: Squash issues

Post by swissk31 » Wed May 15, 2013 3:49 pm

#1) Are both the male flowers (long stem, no mini squash at base) and the female flowers(shorter stem, with mini squash at base) dropping? They produce about twice as many male flowers in the beginning. You can hand pollinate, it's very easy. Take off a male flower that just opened, tear off the petals so you have just a big fuzzy orange pollen covered ball on a stem. Take that and dab it on the female flower center. You should see some pollen stick to the female flower. It's very easy and assures that each female flower will develop into a squash. One males should last through three or so female flowers.
#2) You have squash vine bores. There will be little piles of saw dust where the bore went in, carefully cut the stem LENGTHWISE about an inch. You should see the grub in the stem, pluck it out with a toothpick, there should be just one per hole. Carefully bury the injured stem in the dirt, if you caught it soon enough and found them all the plant will grow new roots every where you buried it and recover. I think seven dust is used to control them, BUT you have to treat before they get in the stem, and treat often. They are safe in the stem from chemicals.

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FLQuacker
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Re: Squash issues

Post by FLQuacker » Wed May 15, 2013 6:33 pm

Almost everyone I've spoken with about home gardens lately,,are having the same problem.

No pollination.

Sad to think what's gonna happen when ALL the bees are gone.

Had one guy tell me to buy a case of mountain dews and open em up around the garden :)

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vonnick52
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Re: Squash issues

Post by vonnick52 » Wed May 15, 2013 8:44 pm

I'm fighting blossom end rot and the bugs that look like stink bugs right now. Losing the battle too.

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Iluv2hunt
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Re: Squash issues

Post by Iluv2hunt » Thu May 16, 2013 6:21 am

Here's a pic I took yesterday afternoon. This was a healthy plant day before
Image
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly

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sam03
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Re: Squash issues

Post by sam03 » Thu May 16, 2013 8:00 am

Lowes has bags of wildflowers seeds for $6 that will come back each year they cover around 11000sqft. For now self pollinate. Last year i had the same problem with way too many male flowers and dam bugs and plants going from kickass to dead in a day or two. I have heard female flowers dont start showing up til abt 7-10 days after the males so watch for the females to form and make sure you get and pollinate them asap. I have heard some beer in a can with the rim at ground level will help with the bugs/slugs. This rain/cool weather to HOT crap is another reason nothing is happy. Gainesville area still hasn't had a "spring"...couple of days are summer hot than it rains and its pre-spring cool than summer hot again.
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relicshunter
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Re: Squash issues

Post by relicshunter » Thu May 16, 2013 9:45 am

Looks like squash vine bores, Maybe the plant can be saved if you found all the bores and carefully cut them out and buried the stems. They maybe just one bore doing all that damage, so it's worth a try.
It looks like those are male flowers, there maybe a few females in tighter to the end. They make lots of extras.

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bellyacher
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Re: Squash issues

Post by bellyacher » Fri May 17, 2013 9:05 pm

Im only having problems with tree rats. They got into my maters and ate the plants apart. They were about 6' tall. very heavy stalks with the big boy maters. Cut them all back just below the damage.will see what happens from here. Gonna be a tree rat multi homicide going on :phear
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FLQuacker
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Re: Squash issues

Post by FLQuacker » Fri May 17, 2013 9:35 pm

LOL..I had to apologize to the tree rats last year.

Couldn't figure out what was eating up my sunflowers.....until one day :)

Image

Quaker parrots...flock of em.

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fishindad
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Re: Squash issues

Post by fishindad » Sat May 18, 2013 7:25 am

bellyacher wrote:Im only having problems with tree rats. They got into my maters and ate the plants apart. They were about 6' tall. very heavy stalks with the big boy maters. Cut them all back just below the damage.will see what happens from here. Gonna be a tree rat multi homicide going on :phear
I hear that. I have 3 traps going most of the time. Its unreal. I trap continually or they eat all my fruit. Neighbors feed them with squirrel feeders. I trap them. Between raiding the garden and constant damage to my screening, those bushytails have to go!
The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing. ~Babylonian Proverb

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