Like many others I only have male flowers on my zucchini. Southern PA.
It is so frustrating.
by RIPCarlGrimes
11 Comments
galileosmiddlefinger
Not sure if you’re aware of this, but zucchini plants typically produce all-male flowers in the first few weeks of flowering. This strategy is presumed to help draw in pollinators before the plant invests resources in developing costlier female flowers. Heat, water stress, and pest stress can also contribute to few/no female flowers; heat has especially been a problem for many people this summer.
Mobile-Company-8238
Eat them!!
AuntyEl
My plants are currently producing only female flowers which then remain unpollinated and quickly die. If only you weren’t half way across the world from me, we could have played Cupid between them and had our fill of all the zucchini we could ask for.
Remarkable_Yak1352
I’ve never heard of anyone having problems growing zucchini! I always thought they were the cockroaches of the vegetable world. You learn something new every day.
I never plant zucchini, because if you know another human, they will give you a shopping bag full.
RamboNation
Fry them up stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs, so good!
Wickedweed
Can you post a pic of the whole plant? Does it get full sun?
GemmyCluckster
I switched to “Dr. earth organic fertilizer” for my entire garden. Including my flowers. I pick about 6 squash a day. I just sprinkle some over the soil every 2-3 weeks. I haven’t had any issues with burning or over feeding like I have with liquid fertilizer in the past.
NPKzone8a
I’m in a different part of the country, NE Texas, but it always seems to me that the arrival of female flowers is sudden and happens when I stop looking for them. Shazam! Suddenly they are all over the place and half of them have even been fertilized and are starting to become baby fruits.
IvysMomToo
I feel your pain, OP. Last year I grew 2 zucchini plants, one in ground and one in a pot. The potted plant NEVER produced a female — only males.
All the posts say that it will happen (eventually produce females), but it never did.
I used the males to pollinate females in the in ground plant so the plant was useful.
ManufacturerSmall410
I havent had this problem, but when a plant is misbehaving sometimes shaking it up a bit can make it do something. I would pull all the male flowers, wait a couple days, then bury the stem, wait a couple days do a serious pruning.
The pruning will continue until morale improves!
ConferenceSudden1519
If you have a nursery close to you call and see if they have zucchini with female flowers growing yet.
11 Comments
Not sure if you’re aware of this, but zucchini plants typically produce all-male flowers in the first few weeks of flowering. This strategy is presumed to help draw in pollinators before the plant invests resources in developing costlier female flowers. Heat, water stress, and pest stress can also contribute to few/no female flowers; heat has especially been a problem for many people this summer.
Eat them!!
My plants are currently producing only female flowers which then remain unpollinated and quickly die. If only you weren’t half way across the world from me, we could have played Cupid between them and had our fill of all the zucchini we could ask for.
I’ve never heard of anyone having problems growing zucchini! I always thought they were the cockroaches of the vegetable world. You learn something new every day.
I never plant zucchini, because if you know another human, they will give you a shopping bag full.
Fry them up stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs, so good!
Can you post a pic of the whole plant? Does it get full sun?
I switched to “Dr. earth organic fertilizer” for my entire garden. Including my flowers. I pick about 6 squash a day. I just sprinkle some over the soil every 2-3 weeks. I haven’t had any issues with burning or over feeding like I have with liquid fertilizer in the past.
I’m in a different part of the country, NE Texas, but it always seems to me that the arrival of female flowers is sudden and happens when I stop looking for them. Shazam! Suddenly they are all over the place and half of them have even been fertilized and are starting to become baby fruits.
I feel your pain, OP. Last year I grew 2 zucchini plants, one in ground and one in a pot. The potted plant NEVER produced a female — only males.
All the posts say that it will happen (eventually produce females), but it never did.
I used the males to pollinate females in the in ground plant so the plant was useful.
I havent had this problem, but when a plant is misbehaving sometimes shaking it up a bit can make it do something. I would pull all the male flowers, wait a couple days, then bury the stem, wait a couple days do a serious pruning.
The pruning will continue until morale improves!
If you have a nursery close to you call and see if they have zucchini with female flowers growing yet.