Everyone is getting excited! I'm hearing people say that they have their first zucchini flower, their first squash, and their first ripe tomato! Ah, tis the season!---the start of the summer harvest. Years ago I decided that if I had to live on what I produced in my garden, I would very quickly get bored with tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans. That was when I started to branch out and learn to eat a greater variety of vegetables. I really didn't like summer squash because it seemed slimy when it was cooked. I did like Zucchini Bread, so I looked for other squash recipes that I might like. I think the squash plant looks really pretty and could be put in the flower garden.
You may be excited to see the first flowers on your squash plants, only to be disappointed when it drops off instead of producing a squash. The first flowers of the squash plant are generally male flowers. The plant produces both the male and female flowers, as shown below. The male flower is on the left and the female flower is on the right---hopefully the difference is clear.
The picture below shows the female flower, closest to the bottom of the picture, which looks like it's attached to a baby squash---which it is! If this flower is not fertilized, then it will drop off. Notice the male flower above the female flower. The male flower has no baby squash attached, just the stem attached to the flower (clearly shown in the next picture).
One way to increase the production of squash plants is to find the female and male flowers open at the same time. The flowers aren't open very long, so the window of opportunity is small. The bees may not be attending these flowers, so there is an alternative---do it yourself! Take the male flower and leave some of the stem as a handle or it will be a challenge to work with.
Next, strip away the flower petals, as shown. This is the male part, with which you swab the female part. That's all there is to it!
One way to out-fox squash bugs is simple, too, if you have the room for it. When your squash plants start to bloom, plant seeds for a second generation of squash plants. When the second generation starts to bloom, take out the first plants, and plant seeds for a third generation of squash plants. When the third starts to bloom, remove the second generation. Keep doing that all season and the plants will always be young and lush, and generally bug-free, instead of plants that are getting old and stressed, which attracts the squash bugs. Towards fall the weather will start to cool, which also stresses squash plants, and the squash bugs may show up.
You may be excited to see the first flowers on your squash plants, only to be disappointed when it drops off instead of producing a squash. The first flowers of the squash plant are generally male flowers. The plant produces both the male and female flowers, as shown below. The male flower is on the left and the female flower is on the right---hopefully the difference is clear.
The picture below shows the female flower, closest to the bottom of the picture, which looks like it's attached to a baby squash---which it is! If this flower is not fertilized, then it will drop off. Notice the male flower above the female flower. The male flower has no baby squash attached, just the stem attached to the flower (clearly shown in the next picture).
One way to increase the production of squash plants is to find the female and male flowers open at the same time. The flowers aren't open very long, so the window of opportunity is small. The bees may not be attending these flowers, so there is an alternative---do it yourself! Take the male flower and leave some of the stem as a handle or it will be a challenge to work with.
Next, strip away the flower petals, as shown. This is the male part, with which you swab the female part. That's all there is to it!
One way to out-fox squash bugs is simple, too, if you have the room for it. When your squash plants start to bloom, plant seeds for a second generation of squash plants. When the second generation starts to bloom, take out the first plants, and plant seeds for a third generation of squash plants. When the third starts to bloom, remove the second generation. Keep doing that all season and the plants will always be young and lush, and generally bug-free, instead of plants that are getting old and stressed, which attracts the squash bugs. Towards fall the weather will start to cool, which also stresses squash plants, and the squash bugs may show up.
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