{"id":14622,"date":"2021-04-26T10:13:04","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T14:13:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/growagoodlife.com\/?p=14622"},"modified":"2021-04-26T10:13:04","modified_gmt":"2021-04-26T14:13:04","slug":"hand-pollinate-squash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/growagoodlife.com\/hand-pollinate-squash\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Hand Pollinate Squash"},"content":{"rendered":"

You may have a lack of pollinators if your squash is filled with blossoms but not growing fruit. If the bees are not doing their job, you can hand pollinate to help your plants produce fruit.<\/p>\n

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A lack of pollination may be the problem if your plant is growing and blooming, but there is no fruit, or you see baby squash turning brown, withering, and dying on the vine instead of growing.<\/p>\n

Don’t worry, you can help your squash by hand pollinating the flowers yourself. This method works for summer squash, zucchini, pumpkins, melons, winter squash, and cucumbers too!<\/p>\n

Did you know that all squash plants produce male and female blossoms?<\/h2>\n

All members of the squash family have male and female flowers on the same plant. The female blossoms grow fruit, but only if fertilized by a male blossom.<\/p>\n

Natural pollination occurs when bees and other pollinators visit the male flower, and then the female. As it does so, the bee transfers pollen from the male flower to the female. After pollination, fertilization occurs, and the fruit begins to develop.<\/p>\n

Fertilization is necessary for squash fruit formation. If fertilization does not occur, the female blossom will wilt and die. If pollination is successful, the squash will begin to grow.<\/p>\n

Reasons Squash isn’t Getting Pollinated<\/h2>\n

If your plants look healthy with bright green leaves and lots of male and female yellow flowers, but there is no fruit, it may not have been pollinated properly. There are several reasons for poor squash pollination:<\/p>\n