Beginner Gardening: First time garden questions, 1 by Farmerdill

Farmerdill wrote:
Why? are your plants dead ? If not alittle patience and benign neglect may be all you need. The nitrogen imbalance does cause excessive growth. Tomatoes set best when stressed. You may also have planted one of the large late maturing cultivars. Many of the "heirlooms" are notorius for slow fruit set. If nitrogen imbalance is the problem the the addition of phosphate ( super phosphate or Bloom Booster will work) Tomatoes will tolerate some shade, it will slow them down but it wont stop them.

As for the cucurbits, you have time for a second or even third planting. They do need full sun and space. Crowding is detrimental. As for honeybees, squash were grown on this continent for centuries before the honeybee was imported. I always have enough Carpenter, bumble, squash, mason and like pollinators and have never needed honeybees.