Zuchhini plant but very few fruit

[imafan26]

This is the third year I have planted zucchini and so far I have gotten one fruit.
Last year with two plants, I got four
The year before with one plant I got none.

The year I got none was unusually cold

I changed to a different variety this year it is a grey zucchini. It started out fine and I got one fruit, but it has been a week and while I have male flowers and lots of buds no new fruit.

I do have bees visiting daily so pollination should not be a problem

It has been raining or overcast and muggy for the last week, and maybe that is a problem.

A few years ago I planted two zucchini and had so much fruit I did not know what to do with it.

Any clue to why I have been having problems the last few years?

The one good thing about this variety is that is is much more mildew resistant than the Black Beauty zucchini I grew in the past.

[meshmouse]

imafan - You're not alone. Myself and probably every gardener I know tells the same tale. Years ago zucchini was so easy, the only problem was to remember to harvest before you ended up with baseball bats. Nowadays, three fruit in a season is considered an accomplishment.

I haven't planted them in about 5 years (Dark Green - Zappallito Italino). They take up so much space and put out so little. I am currently attempting to sprout my leftover seeds and if any go, I will plant them geurilla style, not in precious garden space. I'll see what happens.

I'm looking for the old-syle vining type (not the bush), hoping that might change things. I wonder if anyone knows of one. Please let me know. - meshmouse

[imafan26]

Thanks meshmouse. I was beginning to think I lost my touch. The plants look good, they flower, just not much fruit or the male and female flowers are not coming out at the same time.

[meshmouse]

imafan - exactly - meshmouse

[jal_ut]

Zucchini always needs a pollinator. Plant at least two plants, and a couple of varieties, maybe some crookneck too, then watch the flowers to see if you have bees working them. If no bees, you may have to hand pollinate. I am thinking it is a pollination issue.

[imafan26]

I have lots of bees. I avoid using chemicals in the back yard and use them only as a last resort in my front yard, where I disbud those plants. I have alyssum, lavender, cuphea and other nectar plants so the bees visit daily. The bees are good at pollinating my orchids which is actually a bad thing, since it will make the spikes sleep too early. I have couple of more zucchini plants just starting to get new leaves (I hope they are zucchini, they were the seeds that fell out to the bottom the seed bag seeds but they look like some kind of squash and the seeds do not look like gourds and the leaves don't look like cucumber. Hopefully they will do better with more plants.

They take up a lot of space and two plants should produce more than I need to ever have. I may have to try a parthenocarpic zucchini next.

[catgrass]

I've had a problem, too. More with my cukes than the squash before the borers get them. We've have a lot of rain, and I've been told by the "old-timers" around here that too much rain could be the problem causing incomplete pollination.

[ndfan]

Hello, this is my first year gardening and its going pretty good. This forum has been a lot of help. I have harvested a lot of zucchini so far and am very happy with our results. Over the last week we have had little rain and the the bottom pedals have really started to look bad. Is this common?

[lexusnexus]

And sometimes there is no logical explanation, it just happens.

[Peter1142]

Sounds like you need some fertilizer?

Most of my zucchini did not so great this year, but my Alexandria is so productive it is more than enough all by itself. I recommend that variety!