My squash are only just forming now, we have grown them before. If they are behind yours I am not concerned, we had a very good crop last year and they will catch up. They need lots of water and feeding and we do mix manure into the soil when planting them. I would just want 5 or 6 squash per plant - but as I have already said we grow ours horizontally on the soil so have no problem with weight. We always remove the male shoots - that is the ones without a small fruit behind the flower - that helps to concentrate the energy into the fruit bearing shoots.
Good tip GD2 - i hadn’t thought of removing male stems - wasn’t sure if they were still required, but I’m going to do that in the morning 😀 sorry fellas
You’re metal trellis looks very sturdy. I’ll see what I can do to sure up my bamboo.
GD2 - do you remove all the male flowers? I thought you need those to pollinate the female ones. I’ve been hand pollinating any female flowers that open.
I have never hand pollinated any plants, fruits or veg. we have never had a problem with harvesting a good crop and I may need correcting, but I do remove all the male flowers, with no problems here. I guess it wouldn't hurt to leave one male flower on each plant, but personally I don't.
Last year I limited all my squash plants to 3 fruits each and removed all other stems beyond. Even so, because of the long drought we had last year - 20.5cm of rain all year - the fruits were not good. Flesh dry and powdery and not tasty for the most part.
Assuming you can water liberally or are not short of rain, I would limit each plant to 6 fruits at most and concentrate on quality not quantity. Feed them too. It helps the flavour.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
The squash plants have take matters into their own hands. There are 2 nice squash set on each plant, the rest of the female flowers have shrivelled and fallen off.
Don’t know if they’re not happy in the heat, I’ve tried to keep them well fed and watered. I’ll see if they can produce a coupl more.
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GD2 - do you remove all the male flowers? I thought you need those to pollinate the female ones. I’ve been hand pollinating any female flowers that open.
Assuming you can water liberally or are not short of rain, I would limit each plant to 6 fruits at most and concentrate on quality not quantity. Feed them too. It helps the flavour.
Don’t know if they’re not happy in the heat, I’ve tried to keep them well fed and watered. I’ll see if they can produce a coupl more.