Why are the female blossoms of my butternut squash turning brown and dying before opening? - Ask Extension
(Zone 9a Houston) The female flowers on my butternut squash vine haven't opened and seem to be dying. The garden has received lots of rain recently an...
Knowledgebase
Why are the female blossoms of my butternut squash turning brown and dying before opening? #197600
Asked July 08, 2014, 12:42 PM EDT
(Zone 9a Houston) The female flowers on my butternut squash vine haven't opened and seem to be dying. The garden has received lots of rain recently and is in full sun. The plant appears healthy otherwise-- no spots on the leaves or anything. I treat it once weekly with Neem oil at night as a preventative measure. I used potting soil and fertilized four weeks ago with emulsified fish.
Harris County Texas
Expert Response
That looks like a fungal rot due to the excessively rainy conditions we have been experiencing. Short of regular fungicides the best course of action is to remove rotted fruits promptly and when the weather dries out a bit then the problem should subside. Don't overhead water as this can further spread the problem.
