3 Solutions For Squash Not Producing

Cucurbita or also known as squash is a genus from the family of gourds. These usually grow vegetables on them that range from varieties known as gourd, pumpkins, or squash. Several species can be found spread across the world and the plant is mainly used for the vegetable that grows on them. Keep in mind that these are also sometimes referred to as fruits as they grow small seeds inside them. Overall, the plant is quite easy to maintain as not much care is required to keep it healthy.

Even though that is the case, keeping the plant under check can still be important as it helps in getting a tastier harvest. With that being said, people growing squash can also run into some problems with the plant. Talking about this, a recent issue that is being reported is that squash is not producing. If you are getting the same problem, then going through this article should help you out. This is because we will be providing you with several reasons for the issue along with ways that can be used to get rid of them.

Why Is Squash Not Producing?

1. Not Enough Pollination

The main reason why your squash might not be producing can be that it is not pollinating properly. This is an important step that is required to ensure that the growth of your flowers is kept under control. Keep in mind that the issue can range from no flowers growing out to even fruits starting to grow but not completely developing.

Depending on the problem you are getting, steps can be taken to guarantee that it is prevented. Usually, the male and female parts required to pollinate the squash plants are both found on the same plant. Hence, the only thing people need to confirm is that their flowers are getting enough bees or birds that can help in transferring the pollen.

There are multiple ways to do this but one of the most common ones is using companion plants. Numerous varieties of flowers can be used that have an aroma on them that attracts birds and insects to your garden. These can be planted along your squash to promote pollination on them. The only thing that people need to look out for is that the plants don’t attract any bugs that might be harmful to your squash.

2. Using Hand Pollination

If planting companion flowers is not an option, then people can also hand-pollinate their flowers. This is a manual pollination method that can be used to ensure that the pollen is transferred inside the flowers. If done properly, then the flowers should start producing healthy bulbs that will grow into rich fruits within a few weeks at most.

The process is quite easy but requires some practice before it can be done without any issues. People have to first understand how they can tell male and female flowers apart. Once done, they will then have to use a small object like a Q-tip to take the pollen from the male flower. Gently brushing an object around the flower should help in gathering enough pollen that can be transferred to the female flowers.

Once done, now gently dust the pollen over the female flowers in such a way that most of it if not all falls inside it. This can be repeated with all the female squash flowers in your garden for as long as you like, and people can then wait for a few days. The plant should then start producing new flowers if done correctly.

3. Squash Plant Not Healthy Enough

Finally, if you are still getting the same issue then there is a chance that your squash plant might not be healthy. This can usually be noticed easily as the leaves on your plant should have a dull color on them. People have to keep in mind that these flowers should be kept in a spot where they get long hours of sunlight every day.

Additionally, adding fertilizers to the soil helps in promoting the plant’s growth so that problems like these can be prevented. People should add these chemicals after every few weeks as their effects can start to wear off once the plants have consumed all the minerals inside them.