zucchini help

alamo5000 · January 15, 2011

Please see the attached photos and help me identify what causes zucchini to do things like that.

The zucchini looks ok, but the tip is all shrivelled up.

I also had another one the other day that was full size on one end, but on the other end it shrank down and was only maybe 1/3 the size of the rest... and tip looked similar to the ones pictured.

I just cut the end off and ate the good end and it was fine. But I am wondering if anyone knows what causes this.

fortyonenorth · January 15, 2011

Can't tell for sure from the photo, but I'm guessing incomplete fertilization. Not sure, though.

alamo5000 · January 15, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by fortyonenorth

Can't tell for sure from the photo, but I'm guessing incomplete fertilization. Not sure, though.

Right now there are 4 or 5 other zuch's on all of the plants, and all the others are fine. Its just one zuch out of all of them.

I had one other one that was like that as well but its already been picked.

The other zuch's on the exact same plant do not have the problem.

kath · January 15, 2011

If the end is shriveled and dark inside, even mushy, it's the fertilization problem already suggested. If it's a tapering of the fruit at one end, then it's inconsistent watering.

alamo5000 · January 15, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by kath

If the end is shriveled and dark inside, even mushy, it's the fertilization problem already suggested. If it's a tapering of the fruit at one end, then it's inconsistent watering.

Lets assume for a minute that its fertilizer. What kind of fertlizer should I be using for a zuch?

kath · January 15, 2011

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that "fertilizer" was the problem; rather the flower from which the fruit formed was incompletely fertilized. Happens often with the first fruits of the season when it's cool and there aren't as many pollinators around. Hope that makes more sense. I'm far from an expert, but I've grown my share of zucchinis over the years and yearly see both of the problems I described.

David Marek · January 16, 2011

A thousand words: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=16486

I add lots of compost and composted manure to squash beds and Plant Tone around the plants. I don't think they are too particular if you prefer miracle gro, osmocote, or granular.

For the original question, My first thought was also problems with pollination, but now I recall sometimes having a particular plant that would do this. After 2 or 3 funky fruits in a row, I would yank the plant because I had others that produced perfectly good fruits.

January 15, 2011	#2
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	Can't tell for sure from the photo, but I'm guessing incomplete fertilization. Not sure, though. Last edited by fortyonenorth; January 15, 2011 at 05:59 PM. Reason: second thought

January 15, 2011	#4
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	If the end is shriveled and dark inside, even mushy, it's the fertilization problem already suggested. If it's a tapering of the fruit at one end, then it's inconsistent watering.

January 16, 2011	#7
David Marek Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: St Charles, IL zone 5a Posts: 142	A thousand words: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=16486 I add lots of compost and composted manure to squash beds and Plant Tone around the plants. I don't think they are too particular if you prefer miracle gro, osmocote, or granular. For the original question, My first thought was also problems with pollination, but now I recall sometimes having a particular plant that would do this. After 2 or 3 funky fruits in a row, I would yank the plant because I had others that produced perfectly good fruits.