Butternut / Summer Squash, Courgette, Pumpkin troubles - Please help

[Glen]

Hi all,

I planted some squash (Butternut & Pattypan), Courgette and Pumpkin (Atlantic Giant) about two weeks ago. They have all come up fine and are growing away on a south facing window sill. They were germinated in jiffy pots and have now been transplanted to 6" pots.

However, yesterday I noticed that the sqaush and courgette are starting to produce tiny flowers??? They only have about two true leaves as well as their seed leaves.

Can anyone tell me if this is normal? Will this effect the amount of leaf (vegetative) grow they put on? Should  scrap them and start again?

This has never happened to me before so I am a little perplexed as to why they are doing this.

Any help will be much appreciated.

[Glen]

[antipodes]

Well, they produce often many flowers, but they don't all come true. They will continue flowering for a long period. In fact I find that usually the first couple of courgettes are not really good (as if it hasn't practised enough!!).

[Jeannine]

Take the flowers off, if plant is stressed it caan produce flowers, it won't hurt the plant, thet still will grow at the proper time.

XX Jeannine

[Glen]

Thanks.

The only problem is that the flowers are REALLY tiny! It will be hard to pull them off - I will have to get the tweezers out!  ;D

So in your opinions - should I stick with them and not scrap them and start again?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Odd. Squashes usually have large flowers.

[Glen]

I know Robert - that is why I am so perplexed. I didn't think they would be trying to flower just yet being so small and young (2 weeks old).

This has never happened to me before and I really can't figure out why it is happening???  ???

[Jeannine]

Did you plany any melons they have smaller flowers XX Jeannine

[Jayb]

Could they possibly be tiny immature flowers? Just wonder if they will develop as the plant does and by the time they open it will be be about right?

[elvis2003]

i wouldnt scrap them,but i would start some new,just in case (and am in fact about to start some new right now myself!)

[Glen]

Jeannine - no melons planted, only squash, courgette and pumpkins.

Jayb - you maybe right, they are so tiny they maybe immature flowers - I don't know if they will grow with the plant - maybe someone else on A4A may know?

I need to know if the flowers will effect and impead the vegetative growth?

[Digeroo]

My guess is that they are male flowers.  I am surprised that they have appeared as young as two weeks but I would take them off.  I would suggest they need a bigger pot, more nutrients and perhaps more water.  I have had this effect with ones that have gone a bit straggley.  I would pick off the flowers and give them some TLC but start off some more just in case.   

They are very hungry plants so I have been using recycled compost.  I do not think there is enough nutrients in seed compost for them.  Each of mine has a 500gm joghurt pot.

They sound stressed to me what about a bit of soothing music. ;D ;D

[Glen]

Hi Digeroo,

they were germinated in jiffy pellets and have now been planted into 6 inch pots with B&Q Multi purpose compost. They get watered everyday and never dry out - so I don't think they are stressed? I was thinking could they be doing this because of the heat as they are above a radiator?

Soothing music maybe the only option ;) I am worried if I start some more that they will just do the same thing - do you thing it would be better to wait for a few weeks and plant directly outside.

[manicscousers]

all our squash and courgettes are now in the unheated polytunnel, if it was me, I'd move them away from the radiator  :)

[chriscross1966]

How long
have they been in the 6" pots... last year mine went from 3" pots into 5's and I had to pot them on into 8's in less than a week and 12's for some of them before they went in..... you might have been a bit eager and now they're getting potbound.... cucurbits really don't seem to appreciate it at all even if they're getting enough everything else....

chrisc

[Glen]

Manicscousers - I was thinking about putting them out into the cold frame.

Chriscross - they have only been in the 6" pots for about 2 weeks now. They do not appear to be pot bound and no roots are showing at the bottom. They look like really healthy plants which are showing really tiny flowers.

[Spudbash]

Funnily enough, I've had something similar with a courgette plant that I bought a few weeks ago, in the hope of an early crop.

It's a Taxi F1 that I bought from Homebase. I've kept it in my conservatory, where it's had lots of heat during the day, but quite cold nights. I potted it on once and then was amazed, a few days ago, to find it had formed two small courgettes, without my even noticing any flowers!  :o

It has since sprouted a reasonable-sized flower. I've left the courgettes and the flower on the plant and potted it on again. Let's see how it develops...

[Glen]

Hi Spudbash.

that is interesting - has leaving the flowers and fruit on done any harm to the plant? Has it inhibited its grow at all?

[Spudbash]

Well, I've just checked its progress: the plant itself is growing well and there are now four tiny yellow courgettes developing, and a couple of flowers. The growing medium is Westland Organic Vegetable Compost.

As I mentioned, this plant is Taxi F1. I don't know whether the 'F1' bit is important, here. I daresay someone with knowledge of vegetable breeding will enlighten me!

:)

[Robert_Brenchley]

It means the seeds won't come true, as it's a cross between two stable varieties. If you do save seed, you should get something similar, and you just save from the best.

[Spudbash]

Thanks Robert.

My plant now has four tiny courgettes, which have now developed flowers at the ends (yes, the yellow courgettes were clearly visible before the flowers were!) and several male flowers. Meanwhile, the plant itself is growing fast.

I suspect the compost the plant was in when I bought it may be responsible for this fast development, but then again, I normally start my courgettes later and have them outside long before this stage of development.

There's always something new to see and learn, isn't there!  :)