I was wondering why my squash looked so puny and then I read a Walter Reeves article on squash pollination.
Squash have separate male and female blooms on each plant.
Female blooms look like this -
Male flowers look like this-
Bees have to buzz in, out and about the flowers several times for successful pollination. If there aren't enough bees you’ll end up with squash that look like this.
Or the blooms will just fall off the plant
You can help the plants along by taking a Q-tip and lightly shaking it alternately between the male and female flowers. The real question is, "How do you attract more bees?"
Grow colorful flowers and use organic pesticides. You can even make a bee box. I think you can buy them or learn how to make one at hardware stores that offer classes. Remember that bees need water too so keep your bird bath full of fresh water for them as well as our fine feathered friends!
On another note: We were in Texas this weekend and I don’t know if you remember the fires that they had out there in 2011 but this was what we saw of it as we drove to Austin. It will take years to get back all the vegetation that was burnt back then. Miles and miles of it on both sides of the highway. It's an amazing sight.
Squash have separate male and female blooms on each plant.
Female blooms look like this -
 |
| photo credit: CK Worley |
Male flowers look like this-
 |
| photo credit: CK Worley |
Bees have to buzz in, out and about the flowers several times for successful pollination. If there aren't enough bees you’ll end up with squash that look like this.
 |
| photo credit: CK Worley |
Or the blooms will just fall off the plant
You can help the plants along by taking a Q-tip and lightly shaking it alternately between the male and female flowers. The real question is, "How do you attract more bees?"
Grow colorful flowers and use organic pesticides. You can even make a bee box. I think you can buy them or learn how to make one at hardware stores that offer classes. Remember that bees need water too so keep your bird bath full of fresh water for them as well as our fine feathered friends!
On another note: We were in Texas this weekend and I don’t know if you remember the fires that they had out there in 2011 but this was what we saw of it as we drove to Austin. It will take years to get back all the vegetation that was burnt back then. Miles and miles of it on both sides of the highway. It's an amazing sight.
 |
| photo credit: CK Worley |
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