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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] OT - Zuchinni pollenation

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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87@frontiernet.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] OT - Zuchinni pollenation
  • Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:09:04 -0400

How long ago did you seed them? What variety did you use? How long have they been flowering?

As Ernest said, male-only flowers are normal at the start of flowering for cucurbits; but female flowers should be along within a week or two from the beginning of flowering. It's possible that you have a variety not suited for your area in some fashion. I don't know, offhand, what would cause male-only flowers to continue so late in the season, unless you started the plants quite late and they haven't been flowering long.

By the way, most varieties of tomatoes, eggplant, and beans don't need insect pollination; and there are a few varieties of cucumbers which don't either, though most cucumbers do.

Yes, you can definitely eat squash blossoms. May as well get something out of them!


-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



On Sep 11, 2011, at 5:50 PM, Caren Kirk wrote:

Rivka and Ernest,

OK now I'm a bit better informed, I went to check the flowers and
they're all male! How does that work? This is commercial seed I'm using!

Is there something that causes the plant only to set male flowers?

Feeling terribly zucchini-deprived but searching for recipes for blossoms,

Caren.







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