[Seedgeeks] squished squash squestion

[kris dicus]

on the male/female flower id - yes the male is on a longer stem and the female sits on top of the big, round ovary (that will eventually become the squish or cuke).  the zuke flower does have to be pollinated to go through zukehood so it's possible that a bee or visiting insect (cucumber beetle perhaps) found an open male flower hidden in your garden or found one in someone else's yard.  don't save seed from this squish cause you don't know who it mingled with (this applies only if you want true-to-type seed).  i read recently that at the beginning of the season squish plants usually produce more of one flower or another (male or female) but as the season progresses they even out.  just keep watching.  cheers!!  Kris

On Sun, 4 Jul 2004 16:03:45 -0700 (PDT) Nick Routledge <fellowservant at yahoo.com> wrote:
Seedgeeks post:



Kris, thanks duuuude. Forgive the duh! factor would ya, but a) it's week one with mah squash breeding and I'm pretty damn clueless b) I've lent all my seed-saving lit out and, more to the point c) I simply haven't been paying attention in previous years, but...I couldn't find any male flowers anywhere near opening, even as the female, opened, did her femwym thang, and is now well on her way to zukehood. (For the sake of those reading this list who don't know the difference between male and female squash flowers - and wouldya confirm this, Kris - the male flowers have a long stem, and the female sits on a short, fat stem that becomes the zuke. Perhaps you could drop some more essential lingo on us, my botany-minded bonhomme?) So, if I'm right in assuming that there was in fact no boy flower strutting his stuff, then what does this mean for the seed in that particular zuke. Will a zuke actually grow on a flower without it being pollinated? Woz there a male elsewhere? 

Oh, by the by, I pried open the female to take a look inside and guess wot I found. A cucumber beetle. Never thought of _them_ as potential pollinators, before.

n.


  
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