Tons of blooms but no Zucchini

For three years in a row, I have grown zucchini with large leaves and an abundance of male flowers but not one single bloom bearing a zucchini. What am I doing wrong?

Same type of zucchini every time? Sounds like way too much nitrogen and water as well, let em get thirsty. Try a different type of zucchini, and see what happens-there are many different kinds that may like your cooler area better

Thank you. I may be overwatering. Next year, I will give it one more shot and try your suggestions.

A veggie garden plant has to want to survive, you didn't say WHAT kind of zuke you are attempting and I was curious which one is treating you so badly!

Chiming in as I was searching to see if anyone else is being challenged. Having the same problem here with 'Black Beauty' and yellow straightneck. Gave them starter fertilizer when planted (with higher phos than nitrogen) and another feeding a couple of months later, again with a lower nitrogen level. It's been hot and dry here but I do water them once or twice during the week. I don't think I'm ever going to get a zucchini at this rate. This is my first year growing these.

Cindy,
Your Black Beauty eggplant is a WATER HOGGING HUNGRY HIPPO that likes lots of organic matter in the soil. I've grown black beauty before in eBuckets, in a mix of 1/2 MG potting mix and 1/2 Black Kow Composted Manure. Try working some finished compost or composted leaf mold or some other organic amendment in with the Beauty.

Nothing beats a wish but a try!

Here's a Black Beauty I grew, and some Beatrice Eggplants. Both grew in homemade eBuckets with built in reservoirs, so they'd stay hydrated when I couldn't get to watering them.

Linda

Black Beauty zucchini is not so prolific. The worst for yield that I have ever grown. Black Beauty eggplant yields well. Most yellow straightnecks yield well. Saffron is the worst that I have grown.

I did work in some composted leaves both last fall before planting veggies this year and also top dressed with some about 6 weeks ago. Plants are always in bloom, have never wilted but just won't produce female flowers. The yellow squash got the same treatment with the same disappointing results. Cucumbers in the same area are producing okay. Got them all from Baker's. Are there better varieties?

Fordhook is a name I've heard of, no memory if I've grown it, want to try trombone zucchini, and I Like Greyzini, for summer squashes there is the old standby of yellow crook neck, or a straight one( the feed store orders local favorites in bulk). And I like the looks of that 8ball Zucchini a lot!

Thanks for the recommendations!

Kittriana, I honestly don't know what kind of zuke it was. I searched for the tag but no luck. Just as a side note, I finally did see one little zuke starting to take off and didn't a critter come by and bite the end off. Oh well, there is always next year.

That may have been happening the last few years- those little critters are slick harvesters, chuckl, keep trying! Just get after the critters

my cucumbers and zucchini also did poorly in Spring. the mockingbirds enjoyed eating the blooms though! well it didn't matter too much since there were hardly any female blooms.. i might give them a try again this Fall. whoops looks like Fall is already knocking on the door!
does anyone know why my eggplants - Gretel and another white variety i forgot the name of - are hard and seedy?

Can't figure that one. Mine are tender, and the seeds are tiny. I don't even need to peel these eggplants.

Are you leaving them on too long, perhaps? I'm picking when they are about 5-6" long, but before they start getting dull.

Dull = bitter

This message was edited Sep 12, 2012 3:09 PM

yours look great! mine stopped growing long. instead they turn yellow and need peeling :( the strange thing is i get lots of flowers... i picked all the eggplants over the weekend, not for eating, just tossed them.
it might be the weather, they could perk back up once the temps cool down. i pick them before they are 2 weeks. maybe 1 and a half weeks. by then they're about half that length unfortunately.
i will probably just replant Japanese purple varieties. i never tried growing them myself, but my parents have had great harvests.

Gretel produces a small eggplant (no more than 3 inches) so it is easy to leave it on too long hoping it will get larger (it won't!). Pick eggplants while they are still shiny or they will get bitter and hard. As Gymgirl pointed out: Dull-bitter!! Just try again next season and you will probably do much better.

Gardadore,
How do you cook your small eggplants? I really could use some recipes, especially for these varieties I'm growing for the first time. I was advised to get a mandolin to slice them up as mock lasagna.

Much appreciated.

Linda

The small ones I peel, cut in half the long way and sauté in olive oil until brown on both sides. I season them with salt, lemon pepper, garlic herb, curry. Just made a batch last night! Yum!! A mandoline is nice but I find I can make eggplant parmesan or a lasagna by just slicing them with a larger knife. When I have the time I slice the large ones, salt them and then stack them on a plate. I put a plate on top and a heavy bowl on the plate to press them for about 30 minutes. This takes out a lot of water and makes them better for cooking. They don't absorb as much oil then. When they are fresh off the stalk I often skip that and just turn them quickly in the olive oil to get both sides coated so it will brown. You can always bread them and fry them if you wish. You will find tons of fabulous recipes for eggplant by googling Eggplant Recipes. Have fun!!

Thanks, G!

I had the same experience with my Zucchini when I first put in my garden. I had put to many obstacles in place and got no pollinators. I ended taking off the bird netting and the poultry wire, and within 1 minute I had bees rushing in. Maybe plant some bedding plants next to the squash and they will bring in more pollinators.

Thanks for mentioning that, Ainttalkin. Maybe I had too many taller things around the zucchini plants. Already planning on a different spot for them next year. I did give up on them this year and cut them off a week ago.