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I was hoping you could help me with something. I’ve been noticing a few dead squash on my hubbard squash vines and was wondering what YOU do with them. Typically I just break them off. But now I’m thinking maybe that is not such a good idea. Should I be cutting them off with a sharp knife, or leaving there to rot?
What do you think?
Thanks for you help!
~Mavis
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JP says
I don’t know what you are *supposed* to do with them, but to answer Stephanie’s question, this is caused by lack of pollination. When you see the male and female blooms, you can pollinate by hand and you won’t see nearly as many duds.
Loree says
I break them off & toss them into the compost. I figure that the plant doesn’t need to spend anymore of its energy on fruit/seed that isn’t going to fully develop.
Carolyne Thrasher says
That looks like blossom end rot. I would try grinding up some egg shells and adding them to the soil around the base of your plants. Also you may be overwatering and it is washing the calcium and other things out of the soil.
Kerrie says
I was reading up on “Blossom end rot” on tomatoes, and found out that there are many other types of vegetables that can get BER also, including: cucumbers, squash, eggplant, most peppers, zucchini, watermelon, and some others. I went to my local nursery and they recommended a fertilizer with a calcium boost to prevent, and a calcium spray to stop further rot on already forming fruits.
Bobbi says
We grew a small garden this year with mostly tomatoes, and so many of them had this blossom end rot. I know very little about growing a garden and I’ve never heard of this before, so this info has been helpful. I guess I need to read up on gardening before next year. 🙂
Steph says
I was having Blossom end rot issues with a tomato plant and the egg shells did the trick (or perhaps it was the generous scoop of compost?)…either way – the tomatoes have been fine. I was surprised how quickly it worked!
Danielle says
Those are deffinately the ones not getting pollinated. I had to hand pollinate all my squash this year, I never saw a single bee…very sad. Anyway, I usually cut them off with snippers and throw them in the compost.
Jenn Bane says
I agree… this is just a pollination issue. My pumpkins and squash are doing the same thing. Either get a bee hive (YES!) or hand pollinate 🙂 I’ve been hand pollinating my acorn, spaghetti and pumpkin squash plants to make sure I get something from them. There arnt very many bee’s around right now… for some reason or another 🙁
Chela says
I have been getting a few here and there. I just pull them and throw them in the compost too. Maybe I will try egg shells next year, I certainly have plenty.
Andrea says
So sorry this is happening to you but I am SO glad you asked this question. I couldnt figure out how come my pumpkins werent growing and just falling off. Now I know that it is because they werent pollinated (thanks to all of you who answered her) . I guess I will be out everyday trying to pollinate and hope for one or two to actually mature by fall.
Miriam says
The first one looks like blossom end rot. When you get blossom end rot, you can add epsom salt to your plants. It cleared mine up last year and I started adding epsom salt (1T per month per plant) and haven’t had issues since.
Definitely cut off the dead ones. They take up the plants energy.
The second looks like you either aren’t fertilizing enough (I have had that issue) or the squash didn’t get pollinated.