zucchini plant - Ask Extension
my zucchini plant looks healthy and vigorous but the buds bloom, then fall off no zucchini
my yellow zucchini has two small fruits on it but the ...
Knowledgebase
zucchini plant #874528
Asked June 24, 2024, 7:28 PM EDT
my zucchini plant looks healthy and vigorous but the buds bloom, then fall off no zucchini
my yellow zucchini has two small fruits on it but the very first one was the size of a pinky finger then started to rot from the end
Stearns County Minnesota
Expert Response
Zucchini has male and female flowers. It produces many more male flowers than female flowers. And it produces them somewhat before the female flowers. So I suspect you are seeing male flowers. The female flowers are in close to the plant; the male flowers are on long stems. Read here:
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2018/06/zucchini-plants-flowering-not-producing-fruit
Also, pollination of squash depends on bees. If something disrupts bee activity (heat, rain), pollination can be incomplete:
https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2021/07/vegetables-not-yielding-well-blame-heat.html
It is common for early fruit to get blossom end rot, which is what you are describing. Hopefully, later fruit will be unaffected. Read here:
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/faq/fruit-my-zucchini-squash-began-grow-quickly-turned-brown-and-rotted-why
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2018/06/zucchini-plants-flowering-not-producing-fruit
Also, pollination of squash depends on bees. If something disrupts bee activity (heat, rain), pollination can be incomplete:
https://blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.umn.edu/2021/07/vegetables-not-yielding-well-blame-heat.html
It is common for early fruit to get blossom end rot, which is what you are describing. Hopefully, later fruit will be unaffected. Read here:
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/faq/fruit-my-zucchini-squash-began-grow-quickly-turned-brown-and-rotted-why
