Butternut squash only male flowers

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Aidan mc, Jul 27, 2022.

  1. Aidan mc

    Aidan mc Gardener

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    I have a couple of butternut squash plants, seem to be growing well but only producing male flowers. Seeds were from last year.
    Why would this be?
    Have a couple of Urchi Kuri also and they are beginning to produce fruits.
     
  2. NigelJ

    NigelJ Total Gardener

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    Tends to be down to the maturity of the plants and growing conditions, keep watering and feeding and they should come good. Sometimes if they get a lot of fruit developing they will revert to mainly/all male flowers.
     
  3. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    I've not grown these but have grown other members of the same family, pumpkins etc. and they all seem to take at least a while before they start to produce female flowers, length of time varies but pumpkins can take a while.
    I think this is why you need an early start as these often need a longer growing season than we normally get in the UK.

    I think you still have time but it's running out fast.
     
  4. infradig

    infradig Total Gardener

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    Might consider pruning this a bit, might panic it to reproduce. Leave enough to sustain the (hopefully) embryonic fruit.Would continue to water but not feed. If it sets many fruit, restrict to 3 or 4.
    Regarding time to mature, we will have to see; guess we are due a swing in the Jetstream to high pressure but one can only hope/pray! Perhaps if it was ignored, climate would revert to 'normal'.
     
  5. Sian in Belgium

    Sian in Belgium Total Gardener

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    It sounds to me as if the fruit developed, but not fully. Hence the small seed cavity, and immature/deformed seeds. Probably because the fruit continued to develop after the normal growing season, and into our strange mild late autumn.
    Our squash plants grew extra fruit, after I thought it should have stopped. I have yet so see what they are like insideā€¦
     
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    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      If the seed are not fully developed it suggests the fruit were not fully ripe or poor pollination, IMO.
       
    • Adam I

      Adam I Gardener

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      Looks great. Butternuts are one of the yummiest squashes, I use them for pompkin pie. Boil them till mushy, then add a bit of allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, salt and brown sugar. Add egg yolks, slap in your favourite pie crust and bake. Gorgeous.
       
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