Whaaat? Zuchinni Failure!

Q. For the second year, I am experience a repeat of last year losing my zucchini before they mature. This is not to say I have a total failure but my yield is slim at best. I have two zucchini locations of two plants each, which allow me to monitor the better location for growing. I have changed my watering schedule to 20 minutes at 4:00 am. which has been helpful for most other herbs and vegetables but I am suspicious of possible over watering the zucchini as the immature zucchini begin to develop, then gradually turn yellow, the blossom drops off and the zucchini withers. Any suggestions?

Summer squash fruit can yellow and drop off the plant for a variety of reasons. But don't let a poor selection or variety cause it for you. That's a lot of work on your part to invest in inexpensive seed. Good vegetable seed is worth the price.

A. This probably wont make you feel very good but actually summer squash is one of the easier vegetables to grow here. Just make sure you amend your garden soil with compost, starter fertilizer for vegetables and start them from seed. You can buy transplants but you don't need to. Probably the biggest problem with summer squash or any squash are the squash bugs and controlling them.

Male and female flowers of zucchini. Both flowers are necessary, as well as be activity and the right temperatures, to produce zucchini fruit. Male and female flowers must be open at the same time for the transfer of pollen and the making of fruit. You can transfer the pollen yourself with a Q-tip or soft paintbrush or let the bees do it for you.

Zucchini produce both female and male flowers on the same plant. The male flowers produce pollen which the female flower needs to produce a fruit from the female flower. Female flowers have a small zucchini like swelling at the bottom of the flower. The male flowers do not.

The transfer of the pollen from the male flower to the female flower is done usually by bees. If there are no bees around then the pollen does not get transferred and there is no fruit production.

Don't let your fruits become baseball sized. Pick them when they are small, about 16 inches long, and pick them often.

You can do the work of the bees by taking a soft horsehair brush and touching the inside of the male flower where the pollen is and transferring this pollen to the female flower. However, if there are very high temperatures then this might also not result in producing zucchini fruits.

If temperatures are too hot then the pollen from the male flower has a real hard time getting the female flower pregnant even if the bees transfer the pollen successfully. And in our climate that can be a problem.

You should have some production during days when the temperatures are cooler. If not, then try a different variety next year.

Don't buy your seed from the hardware store. Buy it online from a good seed supplier for hot and warm climates such as Park Seed Company, Harris Seeds, Grow Organic, Territorial Seeds and many others. Look for seed companies that have offerings for hot desert climates.