Question
Hi Mike,
My squash has done wonderfully until the last week or so.  I notice that there are many small squash on the vines, but about the time they reach about 1-2 inches in length, they harden, turn orange and wither. Only about 1/3 of them survive. Any ideas? ( My thought is they need more water??)
Also, I am seeing many more male flowers than female now, in fact one plant has no females that I can see. Is this normal? I've thought about pulling the plant out all together.

Thanks, Nancy

Answer
Nancy, when young fruit shrivel and fall off prematurely, it is usually an indication of one of two problems. Either your plants are not being fully pollinated, or they are receiving too much water. This condition is called blossom-end rot.

If pollination is the problem due to not having enough bees in the area, you can hand-pollinate the flowers by taking a Q-tip or small paint brush and transferring the pollen from the stamen of the male flower to the female (the female always has a small fruit on the end). This must be done within one day of the female flower blossoming. To attract more bees, grow sunflowers, marigolds, cosmos, or some other bright annuals in the immediate area.

Remember to continue fertilizing every other week with a fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus, and only supplement enough water to ensure a depth of 1.5" per week. Also, mulch heavily with straw or dried grass clippings around the plants to keep in the moisture and to reduce the need for watering and weeding.

Finally, amend your soil this fall with as much organic matter as you can get. These materials include dried grass clippings, shredded leaves, compost, aged manure, and peat moss. Soils amended with organic materials seldom have disease-related problems, and always grow healthier crops with much larger harvests. They also improve the drainage in the soil and provide natural nutrients throughout the growing season.

I hope this answered your question.  Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike