A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 zucchini

My zucchini plants are green, doing good, lots of flowers and little squash, but when they get about and 1" long, they start turning yellow and fall off. Need help, don't know what I'm doing wrong or how to fix it. Thanks for any suggestions.

Nothing you're doing wrong. This is what happens when the flowers are not getting pollinated naturally. Hand pollinating the female flowers is an option if there isn't a large population of pollinating insects(bees) in your area.

John does that mean just touching each flower with my hand? What about having a fan blowing in the area, is that important?

I've noticed that my zucchini are doing the same thing as Rhonda's are. They did well before I transplanted them in my greenhouse. I'm assuming there aren't many bugs or bees in my greenhouse.

does that mean just touching each flower with my hand? What about having a fan blowing in the area, is that important?
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You need to take a male flower, (the ones on the long stems), remove the petals and wipe the stamen onto the stigma of the female flower.(The ones with the embryo fruit behind the flower.)

While you're there, have a taste of a male flower petal. A bit nutty in flavour. A delicacy in some parts of the world.

No need for a fan.

You need to take a male flower, (the ones on the long stems), remove the petals and wipe the stamen onto the stigma of the female flower.(The ones with the embryo fruit behind the flower.)
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the same to be said with cukes too?

Cucumber are such prolific flowerers, you'd be at it all day, but yeah, same deal. Same for all the cucurbits. Pumpkin, melons, squash etc. Nature will do the job in most cases, it's more of an interest (or impatience) that gives a need for hand pollination.

Yup, same deal with all curcurbits. It will help regardless of how prolific the plants flower. What's more relevant is how prevalent the pollinator population is in your area. I always make it a point to get out there and "help" the plants.

would using a q-tip work instead of pulling off the stamen? I did this just today, and dunno if i really got it good enuff? I mean i did insert the stamen into the female flower, then twisted/rubbed it a good lil bit. But being first time, i dunno how properly i did it. Guess time will tell . . . whats the signs after pollination i'm looking for that it was done correctly?

Gardening in my Grandma's time, when they had cucumber problems they'd take a broom and lightly wack the plants once or twice as they walked thro' the garden. She said this would get the pollination on its way.

I have picked one nice little cuke but they seem to have stopped filling out. . Could this be a pollination problem? I don't have as many flowers in my yard this year maybe not enough bees? I seem to be having a similar thing going on with my zucchini. Last year I had scads, same spot in the garden.This year we picked one zuc, and now they are not developing. We had nonstop downpours all last week, could they be affected by that. Sunny and warm today, I am hopeing that by tomorrow this stuff will begin to plump up.