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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] -Squash blossoms

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  • From: "Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] -Squash blossoms
  • Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 09:23:29 -0500

If the female flower isn't proper pollinated, it may linger for a few days.
Usually the flower falls off but the embryonic fruit will hang on, gradually
deteriorating. Often, pathogens will invade it, giving the appearance of a
disease problem. Some may partially pollinate but insufficiently. They will
appear to begin growing but will then stop. They then start deteriorating as
well. This demonstrates how critical it is for growers to manage
pollination, either through managing honeybee hives or by promoting the
establishment of wild pollinators (carpenter bees, mason bees, squash bees,
etc.) on or nearby the property.

Bill Shoemaker
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center


>Here's a question, Bill: if unpollinated, will that embryionic fruit
>grow a little bit before it 'dies' or rots? Or will it always be the
>size it was behind the blossom?
>Yes, I'm looking for the answer to that mysterious problem of very
>small squash (usually yellow squash) rotting off the vine instead of
>continuing to grow. These squash are over an inch long, but still
>very small.
>Again - I'm asking if these could possibly be unpollinated ovaries
>rather than true baby squash that abort for some unknown reason.
>thanks -Allan






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