Extreme heat can take toll on zucchini
If growing problems have more to do with a shortage of bees, female flowers can be pollinated by hand
Q.
In the past, I’ve had no problem growing productive zucchini bushes from purchased transplants, but for the past two years, either the flowers produce no fruit or fruits start to form and then rot. A.
I’ve heard this complaint many times over the summer. The extreme heat could be a factor in zucchini plants’ failure to fruit. The long, dry, hot summer has stressed plantings.
Bee populations are another consideration in the issue of zucchinis failing to fully launch. In recent years, there has been increasing concern over the diminishing numbers of bees in gardens. Though other flying insects can act as pollinators, bees are the paramount players in the pollination process for food plants.
Something we can do as home gardeners is plant a diversity of garden flowers that most effectively attract and nurture bees. Cilantro, alyssum and parsley are among the best.
Fruits not forming, or rotting off as they begin developing, indicates that female flowers are not being pollinated or that something (such as adverse weather conditions) is impeding the completion of the pollinating process.
You can try hand pollinating, best done in the morning while the flowers are fresh.
First, identify the male from the female flowers on each plant. Female flowers have short stems and little bulges (squashes-to-be) on the stems, right behind the flowers.
Male flowers have longer stems, no miniature fruit behind the flower, and yellow, dust-like pollen at the bloom centres.
Find a male flower, carefully peel back the petals, and dab its pollen on to the centres of several female flowers before finding another male flower for a fresh supply of pollen.
Keep the plants well hydrated with an evenly moist (but never wet) soil. A mulch layer of a nourishing compost is helpful, ideally timed as the plants begin to produce and as air and soil temperatures begin to warm.