[Tailgater]

I am posting this for my sister-in-law. She plants zucchini each year. They grow and develop flowers, but the flowers don't turn into actual zukes. They just die off without progressing any further. Please weigh in with ideas of what's happening or what she can try!

 

[Tammy]

does she just have one plant? I remember one year this happened to me. I did have two plants, but I posed this question on a gardening radio show and the master gardener told me to take a qtip, rub some of the pollen off the flowers of one plants and put them on the non producing plant to see if that helped. I actually never did it because I was getting some zuccs from the other plant and I'm the only one in my house that likes them anyways, so I had enough. But maybe your SIL could try getting another zucc plant already establised and transplanting it to see if that helps.

I would also try adding some lime and veggie fertilizer to the soil around th plant. That might help boost production.

 

[veggiewhisperer]

Tailgater,

I had the same problem with my tomato plants last year. We were very short on bees for some reason and on top of that, it was very humid. So, to help the pollen move around a bit, I simply shook each tomato plant very gently for about 10 seconds a day. It did the trick.

 

[stephanie]

you could get some mason bee's they do wonders for gardens as they come out and about before any other type of bee or insect that help pollinate plants. I use them and once a nest site is established you get more every year. the bonus is they don't sting ever so even those who are alergic to bee's can have these little guys/gals around with out issue.

 

[ckveg]

great idea Stephanie! Thanks!