New Gardener- In need of help

[hannahwren]

I have planted my very first garden!!! An I am very proud of what I have done. I might have gone a bit over board for my first time, I started from seed for the most part. I bought my tomato plants. I have been fighting squash bugs an grass hoppers tooth and nail!!!! Everything seams to be doing okay, for the most part, but my yellow squash has me scratching my head!?!

I am getting what I think is alot of squash from my plants, but at the same time quite a few of them are wrinkled. I mean some are fine and then some are all shriveled up. Anyone have a answer as to why. Is this normal?? I have been picking off the ones that are wrinkled. . . should I leave them on, in the chance they might fill out later?

 

[hannahwren]

I just looked online for answers, what I read was about wrinkles and black ends rotting. That is not the case with mine NO rotting. Any thoughts???

 

[hannahwren]

I w

 

[hannahwren]

Here is a pic that I took today. There was a large healthy squash below this one and a smaller healthy one above it. What is going on???

 

[GardenerGal]

Sometimes the plant is putting more energy into ripening some fruits and so not all of them get the benefit of enough water and nutrients to reach maturity. A lot of the squashes shrivel before the flower even opens while the water/nutrients are going to already established squashes.

If you find that a bunch of squashes are shriveling after the flower has opened and wilted, it may be that the problem was in the lack of male pollen fertilization.

 

[Happy Chooks]

If you find that a bunch of squashes are shriveling after the flower has opened and wilted, it may be that the problem was in the lack of male pollen fertilization.

Yep. The flowers without squash are male flowers and the one's with squash are female. If there is no pollen fertilization to the female flower, the squash shrivels and dies.

 

[hannahwren]

Thank you both. Is there anything I can do?

 

[hannahwren]

Could I get a Q-tip and do this myself? I am only guessing, but maybe take a q-tip an stick it in the flower with no fruit, then gently rub it inside the flower with fruit near it??? If this is ok todo, and might work . . . . .when should I do it?? At what stage of fruit growth? squash

 

[punk-a-doodle]

You can hand pollinate. Google "hand pollination squash", and you will find detailed instructions and videos.

 

[hannahwren]

Thank you