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| Hello all, and thanks for any replies in advance. Just a quick question on squash. Normally, little squash form with female flowers on them, and then if they don't get pollinated they fall off. If they do get pollinated, they get bigger. Simple enough. I've tried to eat unpollinated little baby squash and they were pretty terrible. Here's the dilemma. I have a patty pan squash with an unopened female flower (looks ready to open tomorrow...then again, I said that yesterday and the day before). The squash is 4" across, basically eating sized, and is nice and firm. All other unfertilized squash on the plant are about 1/2" to 1" like good little unpollinated squash should be. Is it possible that it somehow pollinated without the female flower opening? Might it actually be tasty? I've already picked the darn thing because it grew 50% in size overnight with the little rain shower we had, and you're not supposed to let them get much bigger than that. Thanks, |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by farmerdill (My Page) on Fri, Jun 20, 14 at 8:37
| 4 inches across it should be fine. There are parthenocarpic squash, but Patty Pan is not one of them. Still the trait may show up once in a blue moon. |
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| Is it possible that it got pollinated? Sure. You don't always see the blooms open unless you sit right by the plant all day. :) Usually happens very early AM. Dave |
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| I was wondering if sometimes ants crawl in and fertilize even when the flower isn't open yet. |
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| I grew tromboncino squash last year and routinely picked the babies just before the flowers opened. Couldn't tell the difference in the taste. |
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- Posted by daninthedirt 8b / HZ10 Cent. TX (My Page) on Fri, Jun 20, 14 at 22:49
| My understanding is that all squash can exhibit parenthocarpia. Some squash are much more likely to do so (and are often thereby simply called a parenthocarpic variety), and some are less likely to do it. So I'm not sure you can say that one variety simply won't do it. |
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