Hi, can anyone tell me why this year all the flowers on my butternut squash are dropping off once the flowers have finished. Any advice is greatly appreciated. :( ???
The male flowers drop off naturally after a day or so ... the female flowers do the same if they don't get pollinated. If you've only got male flowers I'm not sure you can do anything, but I'd try a good shot of liquid fertilizer ... possibly more in hope than in anger ... if your local bees aren't "doing the business" for you, you'll need to pollinate by hand.
I first grew them last year and noticed the same. I stopped looking and eventually they did the business and we got fruit. Harvested October.
Same thing seems to be happening this year. I do not think that the UK is a totally natural habitat for them and possibly that can cause it.
Or may be we are being over anxious expectant parents, perhaps they do just flower for a while as a practise run. Or could be they don't like being watched.
Ignore them for a bit.