My zucchini has been doing pretty well. I've gotten a few fruits off of it. Problem is, they aren't growing all that big. They get to about five to six inches long and just stop growing. Also, two of them have had the flower not fall off cleanly, but instead just the outer part of the flower, and then the part that gets fertilized remains attached, but looks kinda black and slimy. I cut into one of these, and it didn't show any rot inside, but the texture was a little off inside (not sure how to explain this, almost a little fibrous maybe, rather than smooth, but fibrous doesn't quite hit it either. It looked very close to normal, so I want to emphasize that it was a very very slight difference).
Anyway, the others have come off normal and been fine, but for some reason they stop growing at five to six inches. I thought they were supposed to be harvested at six to ten inches, so it seems odd that they stop growing.
I have a ton of females. I've had as many as three to four actual squash growing at the same time, with many immature females still growing close behind.
We've had a lot of heat the past few days, and I have been trying to keep up with the watering. I water them at least once a day. They are growing in a 2 cf soil bag, BTW. I noticed a couple of fading leaves, so I figure the heat is affecting the plant. It's been in the 90s. Could it be possible they need more water? I just fed them today, because I thought maybe that was part of the issue.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
What have you been feeding them besides water? Summer vegetables for the most part are heavy producers tomatoes, eggplant, squash, beans, corn and if they are in full production, I feed them a side dressing with each cycle. Otherwise, my plants tend to lose vigor and start to die. With eggplant and chili peppers I will cut them back too, otherwise they produce bare weak branches. Squash tips(vining squash) can be eaten, and picking tips makes the squash branch and make more squash. Bush squash including zucchini do not have as long a life or are as productive as vine squashes. I average 11-15 zucchini from 1 bush. I keep it feed to keep producing. If it stops, it is done.
https://www.backyard-vegetable-gardening ... chini.html
https://www.backyard-vegetable-gardening ... chini.html