I am growing these bottle gourds in raised bed. After it grows couple of inches,it develops these black spots and it dies. What is causing this, and how you prevent it. Thanks - Ask Extension
I am growing these bottle gourd in raised bed garden. After it grows couple of inches it develops these black spots. And dies. What is causing it and ...
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I am growing these bottle gourds in raised bed. After it grows couple of inches,it develops these black spots and it dies. What is causing this, and how you prevent it. Thanks #810484
Asked September 12, 2022, 3:43 PM EDT
I am growing these bottle gourd in raised bed garden. After it grows couple of inches it develops these black spots. And dies. What is causing it and how do you treat it? Thanks
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi-
There are fruit diseases of bottle gourds but we think it's more likely that the symptom is due to poor pollination of the female flowers causing the tiny fruits to rot. Fruit flesh is not produced unless there is proper pollination and fertilization of the ovules (undeveloped seeds) inside the tiny fruits.
You can try hand-pollinating flowers (there are many online videos showing you how to do it). If this is a true gourd with white flowers they open at night when bees are less active.
It may be getting a bit late in the season for plants to produce full-size gourds at this point.
Jon
There are fruit diseases of bottle gourds but we think it's more likely that the symptom is due to poor pollination of the female flowers causing the tiny fruits to rot. Fruit flesh is not produced unless there is proper pollination and fertilization of the ovules (undeveloped seeds) inside the tiny fruits.
You can try hand-pollinating flowers (there are many online videos showing you how to do it). If this is a true gourd with white flowers they open at night when bees are less active.
It may be getting a bit late in the season for plants to produce full-size gourds at this point.
Jon
