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Butternut squashes shrivelling up

HenatronHenatron Posts: 37
in Problem solving
Wondering if anyone can help me. Each year I grow a couple of butternuts in the greenhouse (live in the Cairngorms so no point trying to grow them outside), and they always start well by producing several mini squashes, but most turn yellow and shrivel up at about 2-3 inches in size. I’m lucky if I get one proper squash per plant by the autumn. The plants look super healthy and are well watered, and fed weekly. 
Any ideas what’s going wrong?

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Looks like lack of pollination.  Have you tried hand-pollinatiing them?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • HenatronHenatron Posts: 37
    I haven’t tried but I will. Didn’t think it would be a problem as the greenhouse is always full of insects - my bad! Thanks for the tip. 😃
  • lynrupert1971lynrupert1971 Posts: 1
    Can I pursue this issue further? I too have had some similar problems with my butternut squashes this year (for the first time; normally I have a very good crop), and mine are outside on my allotment. Some shrivel up when they are quite small, like Henatron's, but others wait til they are growing quite well and on their way to maturity. Hence, I can't believe lack of pollination is the problem.
    I attach a picture of one such plant, alongside another which is more mature but, I fear, going the same way (wrinkled skin, yellowing, and eventually a rotting end). I am growing Zucca Rugosa. My neighbours on the allotment also seem to have the same problem, but somewhat less acutely.
    Thanks,
    RB
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I've had a couple of quite large ones go like that too. One definitely had a small amount of pest damage on the skin surface but the other looked fine.  Perhaps it's down to incomplete pollination?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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