“Last year, lots of blossoms but no zucchini so I planted in a different space. So far, not even blossoms. I’ve never seen this before. Zucchini usually grows like weeds.” Question from Sharon in Washington
Answer: That’s an interesting problem…tell me more. There are lots of things that can cause zucchini or summer squash from producing, including lack of pollinators (bees pollinate the blossoms), excess hot days (above 95 degrees F) and hot nights (above 75 degrees F), too little light, improper fertilization, and even variety choice. Did you notice that last some of year’s flowers had blooms with little fruits at the base (female flowers) and blooms with no little fruits (male flowers)? If you noticed both flower types, then pollination failure could be the problem. In this case, choosing a self-fertile variety, like ‘Bush Baby’, will help. Do your plants get enough sun and did you amend and fertilize with a good vegetable fertilizer for fruiting? Or, did you experience an unusually hot summer? Let me know!
