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No sex pleaes, we are cucurbit

SwedboySwedboy Posts: 394
in Problem solving
My Courgette and pumpkin plant seems to have decided that sex is not for them. Both plants produces either female or male flowers but never two of the opposite sex at the same time. I even contemplated trying to cross pollinate them to see if I could get a fruit to set. Is there any way of tricking them to start producing both type of flowers at the same time or should I just pick the male ones, stick them in the fridge and then pollinate when I get a female flower. I think it is too late in the season to try to get more plants that could act as partners. Any ideas what i could do?

Posts

  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    i have heard that courgettes start by producing only male flowers. I am no expert, but it seems to be true here, I now have  female too
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I found the same last year.
    My courgette only produced male flowers for the first couple of weeks, then the females started to appear, and before you know it there are more courgettes than you know what to do with.
    I haven't grown one this year, but the delay could be weather related

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    They do indeed produce the male flowers first. Remove then until you start to get females too. No point in wasting energy on flowers if they're doing no good.
    Devon.
  • SwedboySwedboy Posts: 394
    Last year I had the same problems no fruit at all. I'll try to pick off the male ones and see if that helps.
    As for courgette glut, haven't had that for years.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'm hitting glut already. Soz.
    Devon.
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