Frequently Asked Questions (Rutgers NJAES) (2024)

Select a topic:

1. Fruit Trees
2. Garden and Household Pests
3. Houseplants
4. Lawn Care and Landscaping
5. Pesticides and Fertilizer
6. Trees and Shrubs
7. Vegetable Gardening and Small Fruits
   1. Alternative Gardens
   2. Blueberries
   3. Grapes
   4. Harvesting
   5. More Information
   6. Mulch and Fertilizer
   7. Peppers
   8. Starting a Garden
   9. Strawberries
   10. Taking a Soil Test
   11. Tomatoes
   12. Watering
   13. What To Grow
   14. When To Plant
   15. Zucchini
       1. Q: I have flowers on my zucchini but no fruit, why?
          1. A: No flowers can be caused by several factors. Zucchini and other plants that are cucurbits have two types of flowers – male and female on the same plant. Initially, the plant first produces male flowers. As the plant gets older it then produces the female flowers. You can tell the difference between a male and female flower in that the female flower has an immature zucchini behind the flower. A male flower is born on a long stalk with no immature zucchini. If a plant is not yet mature it will lack female flowers and will not produce fruit. Extremely hot weather will can also be a factor in limiting zucchini fruit growth. In hot weather zucchini plants my only produce male flowers. The alst major factor is a lack of bee activity. In order for the immature zucchini to grow, it needs to be pollinated. Lack of sufficient pollen will not allow the zucchini to develop. To ensure pollination, put pollen on a cotton swab and then place it on pistil of the female flower.
8. Wildlife