I've grown zucchini every year without a problem, but this year my blooms are dying before they produce anything. At first I thought the slugs were getting them, but now I don't think so. I'm wondering if they could be lacking in something? I just don't know what to do, and would really like to get some zucchini this year. Has anyone encountered this before?

 

If the flowers form without setting fruit, it may well be that there is inadequate bee activity to pollinate the flowers. You could try your hand at manual pollination with an artist's brush or by rubbing the male flowers on the female flowers. Encouraging bee activity by planting other attractants might help as well.

 

Certainly sounds like lack of pollination.

 

That's what I was thinking, so I have been waiting for the blooms to open up, so that I can manually pollinate them, but the flowers won't open. They are getting big flowers, but they stay closed, then fall off. Should I try to open them on my own?

 

Check roots for galls. You may have nematode infestation which can also cause blossoms to not open.

The blossoms of both sexes are open and fertile only during the morning hours of one day. This is when pollination must take place. Female blossoms that do not get pollinated do not reopen and will drop to the ground. Male blossoms may open a second day but will no longer be fertile. Male blossoms may drop that day or the next. There are more male blossoms than female.

 

Thank you! That sounds like a good possibility. I will watch them in the morning and see what's going on. How do I check the roots for galls... and what are they ?

 

Well, I may have figured out my problem. I was watering, and noticed that there is quite a good sized hole behind the plant, going down in the ground. We have moles, and I'm wondering if a mole has been going down and eating the roots of my plant? Does that sound likely?

 

Moles are carnivores and primarily go for grubs. Voles are vegetarians and will eat roots of garden plants. You can trap them, use repellents, or put some poison grain baits in holes. Poison in landscape is not good for pets and desirable wildlife. Surrounding prize plants with 1/4" wire mesh hardware cloth buried in ground to protect roots is an option. If you have voles, pathways should be visible in grass and soil will feel spongy where there are tunnels.

Galls look like growths on plants roots. They look like knots and can vary in size and shape. Avoid planting the same crops in the same location each year. Move zucchini to different area of garden next year. Look for nematode resistant varieties.

 

Thank you! You are right, it wasn't a mole. I'm not sure why the hole was there. I tried going out in the mornings and used the paint brush method to pollenate the few blooms that were left. I went out this morning, and it's producing! Thank you all for your advice!