A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 zucchine

I have always heard how easy it is to grow zucchini but I have not been particularly successful. I have had about 10 great zuccs and I have picked off about 10 dead little vegs. Any thoughts on zucchini?

I added zucchini this year so I'm learning.

They need a lot of water when fruiting, too much water and they don't get enough oxygen so I wonder if not enough or too much might be the problem.

I found this article on phytophthora disease. Not saying it applies but it never hurts to build a knowledge base.

Zuchinni, as with other cucurbits, will produce both male and female flowers. The males are on a stalk and the females have a swollen embryo fruit at the base of the flower and no stalk. Maybe you are not getting full pollination on all the females. This usually results in the unfertilised embryo fruit going yellow and just dying and dropping off. Is this what's happening?
Insects will normally do the pollination for you. That's OK. Just take a male flower, remove the petals and brush it on the female stamen. (Or is that stigma?) Anyway, the innards of the female flower. This is best done each morning when the flowers are fully open. You can also eat the flowers. They are great dipped in batter and fried or just eaten fresh or as a side dressing to a salad. Make sure there isn't a bee in there though;)

They like lots and lots of compost. Next thing I have read about other squash is that you have to take off some of the flowers. If you leave them all on it will decrease the size of the veggies you get. I'm a beginner so that's about all I can share. Wish I knew more to be of help.

Thanks for the great suggestions!!!

I was just coming here to post this same problem I have beautiful plants that are blooming like crazy but everytime a friut starts to form, it falls off. I have it next to a butterfly bush and the bees are starting to come around. Hopefully things will improve. We also have been having really bad storms... lots of rain so I thought maybe it was too wet. I've never been one to have much luck with zucchini and have always wondered how people have so much they are bagging it up and leaving it on strangers doors I guess I should put a sign in my yard that says, " Leave unwanted zucchini here". I love the stuff!

I have picked 5 or 6 already this year, this is my first year for them. I didn't know they had male and female flowers or that the flowers could be eaten.

I guess I will have to keep a better watch on them.

My squash is not doing as well.

In situations where there is a lot of rain, I think the rain can wash the pollen away before it has had a chance to do its job.

yeah they aren't being pollenated. You can do it by hand if the bees aint doin their thing. Peel the petals off a male flower and poke it into the female flowers as they open. Usually in the morning.