Is this BLOSSOM END ROT?

cmajors · Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:52 pm

About 30% of my squash looks like this but I have some really good ones too! Just wondering if the plant is producing more than it can keep up with or if I have a problem.

PIC

[img]https://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx228/cmajors2/Garden%202011/DeadSquash.jpg[/img]

Each of my plants has at least 18-22 squash on it and most look really good but about 30% or so are shriveling up and dieing.

Thanks for any help...

nosta · Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:37 pm

looks like a pollination issue to me. Bee's don't always get them all. If it is 30 percent loss on the squash, try hand pollinating.

seargantbaker · Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:30 pm

nosta wrote:looks like a pollination issue to me. Bee's don't always get them all. If it is 30 percent loss on the squash, try hand pollinating.

seconded

cmajors · Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:49 pm

so even after they start growing in the squash form they need to be pollinated? I'm a newbie and just thought they were already pollinated if they started growing...

Thanks!
CM

rainbowgardener · Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:22 pm

If you look at the blossoms, the female blossoms each have a little squash embryo behind them. Even if the flower was not pollinated, when it drops off, the squash keeps growing for a little while, but eventually shrivels up and drops off. If the flower was pollinated, the squash can keep growing and fill out. But the pollination happens to the flower, not afterward.