No blooms? That is a lack of nutrients or fertilization issue. Most likely too much nitrogen. Excess N gets nice plants but no fruit.

Blooms that don't set fruit is either a pollination issue or 'Blossom Drop" from excess temps or too much nitrogen. Hand pollinate.

Fruit that gets to 2-3" then aborts is also a pollination issue and/or a nutrient issue.

Fruit that is 4-6" but black on the bottom and rots is BER - a watering and nutrient issue, often excess nitrogen.

So, what and how often have you been feeding them and what was added to the soil at planting time?

Dave

Hmm... some possibilities there, definitely.

They were planted in a bed that was amended with fresh compost in the fall, then fertilized with some Vegetables Alive (4-3-1) once they were up and growing. The plants are a decent size but not huge. I have had male blossoms for weeks, but the female ones just aren't... showing... up. It's like a bad singles night.

Could the really hot, dry temps (in the 90s) we had in June and July have done damage? I thought squash loved the heat... and my cucumbers and melons are both producing, it's just the squash that's not. Maybe I should try some hand pollinating with the few female blossoms I have.

Could it be overcrowding? I tried to be good about thinning, but I probably should have done more. I sort of had it in my head that overplanting was good, so if I lost some to SVB, I'd still have some left (which is, in fact, what happened). I have about ten plants scattered through a 7'x3' bed, with room on all sides for them to sprawl.

viking, im in zone7a and having same problem. last year i had a bumper squash crop, this year, ive had two... and just two days ago, two plants wilted and died. i also started in mid-may. i think its the soil temperatures that did it for us.

in fact, i have a tromboncino (zucca d'albenga) vining squash that is 40 ft long and have had only one squash, and the flowers dont seem to open.

And I can assure that its not any nitrogen issue here.

Heat can definitely play a role in that it stresses plants and stressed plants are reluctant to produce. But yes, over-crowding can play a big role, with squash in particular. Not only is it another source of stress for the plants but to be successful a heavy, steady supply of nutrients (especially P & K) is needed as they are all competing for the available nutrients in a confined space.

You used a low-dose fertilizer and depending on what you soil pH is and the amount of beneficial bacteria it contains the nutrients in the compost may not be all that available to the plants.

I'd try a good feeding of a quick acting liquid with low N levels feeding and see what happens.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Pictures of the plants will help. Do they have LARGE leaves? Appear to be healthy and otherwise happy?

How much direct sunlight do they get. You need to watch not guess. Look for a shadow elsewhere to make sure they are IN direct sunlight.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone...

This bed gets full, glaring, sun, aside from a couple hours of indirect shade in mid-afternoon. The tomatoes the next bed over (same light condition) are growing like mad, so I don't think that's the problem. And I laid out my garden like an engineer, mapping sun patterns throughout the growing season to be sure I would have enough light for each bed =) hehe... my husband rolls his eyes and humors me.

I'm thinking maybe the problem is the overcrowding, since the plants are healthy. I just have female blossoms falling off before they even open. Very frustrating! I can't even hand-pollinate! I'm going to try a bit more fertilizer, maybe nutrient deficiencies are aborting fruit before it has a chance to get started...

Lori

I, too am having squash troubles this year. My Waltham butternut squash only has 2 tiny babies on it. My zuchinni has only produced a couple little squash, even though the plants are huge and healthy.
I put fresh chicken manure/bedding on the garden late last fall, so I'm wondering about too much N. Also....we had alot of rain in the early spring and I think the winter squash got too wet, and slowed way down.
So.......I feel your pain!

Too much N could be a problem.

If she started a new bed then should have the soil sample results on hand. Not that thing you get from the store but from a certified lab. I never like to guess cuz I'm usu. wrong.

I have grown 2-3 squash plants within 6in of ea other and they produce like crazy. I tried growing them on the east side of the house - with less sun - and had far less fruit to harvest but the diff could be seen in the vigor of the plant too.

Squash just love sun and will produce abundantly when they are happy.