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NO FLOWERS, NO FRUIT
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I planted yellow crookneck squash in early March, and the plants are beautiful. I have not seen any flowers at all as of June 30. I have grown them before without any problems. What happened? |
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Take a close look at the centers of the smallest leaves. If a stub of a stem remains, it’s possible the culprit has four legs and might be named Bambi. However, if you see nothing but more leaves at the growing point, your shy flowers have another cause. Unlikely but possibly, spring’s roller-coaster temperatures could be to blame for suppressing the flowers. Since the leaves are healthy, indicating an abundance of nitrogen in the soil, other fertility factors might be at issue. Garden soils amended with compost and/or manure and then fertilized with formulas rich in nitrogen will grow fine leaves at the expense of potential flowers. At midsummer, it is still possible flowers and fruit can reward your efforts. Be sure to water the plants regularly, and do not use any more fertilizer. Perhaps the best news for you is that summer squash can be replanted now for harvest this fall. One more fall squash tip: prevent aphid attack by growing the young plants under floating row cover. Excluding these pests in autumn is as important as keeping the squash vine borers away from the spring crop.
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FRUIT AT HOME
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I am starting a small orchard in Hattiesburg. Can you advise me about what kind of fruits I should plant and if there are particular varieties I should purchase? Donna |
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For your first fruit effort, stick to those that do not require a regular spray program and can be maintained with no more difficulty than popular landscape plants. Check the query below for information about one of the “must-have” fruits, the satsuma. If you like citrus, you could also consider kumquat. There are two types, sweet and tart, and it is important to know your taste unless you simply want them for wreaths and holiday decorating. Figs make the list, too, with old favorite varieties (such as ‘Brown Turkey’ and ‘Celeste’) as popular as newer introductions (‘LSU Purple’ and ‘LSU Gold’). With intense natural sugars and unique texture, figs are more popular than ever. Loquat, also called Japanese plum, deserves attention for creamy, sweet yellow fruit clusters, but also for its coarse texture and dark green, ribbed leaves. Blueberry shrubs and blackberry canes are a great addition, as are muscadine grapes if you have room for their considerable vines. Persimmons, both Japanese and native, grow well in your area. The Japanese types like ‘Fuju’ are delicious. ‘Kiefer’ pears, ‘Anna’ apples, ‘Santa Rosa’ and ‘Methley’ plums are good choices once you are ready to establish a modest spray routine to prevent their inevitable pests. |
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