I have sweet potato squash planted in a large pot. They are making plenty of flowers but no squash. No bees?
Hardiness Zone: 9a
Deborah from Lafayette, LA
Deborah,
Since you're getting lots of flowers, a lack of bees could be the problem. If your squash are just starting to flower, it's also not uncommon to see a large number of male flowers with the first flush of flowers. They usually appear first to attract the bees and make sure there will be enough around at the critical time when the female flowers appear. After the first round of flowers, the females flowers will start to appear, too.
If you haven't noticed much bee activity, however, you might want to consider hand pollinating your squash. To do this, first you'll need to be able to identify the difference between the male and female flowers. The female buds have a slight bulge at their base (your future squash), while the male flowers are attached to the vine with a long thin stem. Select an equal number of male and female flowers (if available). Pick a male flower and bring it over to the female flower.
Ellen
About The Author: Ellen Brown is our Green Living and Gardening Expert. Click here to ask Ellen a question! Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
never grew the swt potato squash but a lot of squash are male and female. if you only have one plant that could be the problem.
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!