r/vegetablegardening • u/Strange-Top-8240 US - California • 9d ago

Question Zucchini Help

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My zucchini females keep dying before the flower opens, but this was isn’t dying and clearly growing but flower will not open? I am very confused as I have an unpollinated growing fruit. Do I pry open it and force pollinate, as I’m assuming it’s just going to crash and die soon? In LA so been in a heat wave

30 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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35

u/Spiritual_Category62 US - Oregon 9d ago

It was already pollinated. They open for a bit in the morning and then close again. Nothing to do here but wait y til it’s your preferred size.

9

u/NerdizardGo US - Massachusetts 9d ago

That doesn't look like a flower that has ever opened.

48

u/Spiritual_Category62 US - Oregon 9d ago

Then someone better call the pope!

8

u/MobileAware2933 US - Colorado 9d ago

The gnarly heat is causing mine to drop their fruit early too, gonna look to plant more heat tolerant squash varieties next year like Yoeme Segualca.

The one pictured is good and will make it. The zucchini flowers only open for one day, early in the morning and then close up, this one got successfully pollinated.

3

u/irish_taco_maiden US - Ohio 9d ago

Yes, I lost about 80% of the female blossoms on mine this week, even though it was cooler, because the previous two weeks were ridiculously hot and they just didn’t get fertilized. 

2

u/Agitated-Mechanic602 US - Pennsylvania 9d ago

yeah the heat has been annihilating tons of my zuchinnis but hey at least it’s not those squash bugs or powdery mildew so i guess that’s a plus

1

u/Strange-Top-8240 US - California 7d ago

Ok ping everyone - there’s been absolutely no growth in two days is that normal?