Spaghetti Squash

MuddyBuckets · August 28, 2019

Zone 7b - Piedmont North Carolina.This season I started seeds, potted up and planted 6 fairly large and robust spaghetti squash. Vines grew well and are now quite large with NO flowers or any fruit set. They were well watered and fertilized twice. We had a wet spring and a hot 30 days of 90+ in late June.

Any pointers or suggestions on how to get production from a spaghetti squash is appreciated. Is it really worth the effort?

Worth1 · August 28, 2019

May be the hot weather but I am no expert.
I wish I could help more.

GoDawgs · August 28, 2019

That's strange. I've grown spaghetti squash for about six years now and haven't run into that problem. Mine are a smaller version called Small Wonder. One is good for two people, a half for each. But variety size shouldn't have any bearing on this situation.

I can understand the heat interfering with fruit set but June is long gone and you should have had some by now.

What variety are you growing and what's the DTM?

MuddyBuckets · August 28, 2019

These were saved seeds from store bought spaghetti squash so no clue as to type and DTM. They sprouted quickly and were planted 2 per hill.

GoDawgs · August 29, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuddyBuckets

These were saved seeds from store bought spaghetti squash so no clue as to type and DTM. They sprouted quickly and were planted 2 per hill.

I'm wondering if that's the problem if what you bought was a hybrid spaghetti squash. It's just a guess but I have a bunch that most veggies we buy at a regular grocery store are hybrid. They won't grow true to type.

The Small Wonder I grow is a hybrid because I can't find a dwarf variety that is OP. I've always wondered what I'd get if I planted the seed but haven't wanted to give up garden space to try.

upcountrygirl · August 28, 2019

Did you grow any other kind of squash? If so, what were your results with them? I'm a lil further south of you. No one I know around here had a good garden. Temperature too high and no rain. I also noticed less pollinators during that time...

MuddyBuckets · August 29, 2019

Countrygirl
Did not grow any other squash, garden overall this season has been less than productive, cukes pooped out (too wet, too hot, too dry...), okra tall and spindly (6 varieties), tomatoes were ok on the sun gold and black cherry but slicing tomatoes were a disaster, hot peppers (usually flourishing) had a spurt of production, remained small plants but very slow to ripen, eggplant...3 off of three plants...not exactly productive, tomatillos had lots of flowers but very few setting fruit. The good news is I had much fewer pests this season since using neem oil and sevin on a regular basis. Garden is raised beds and containers and neither seemed better this season.

tryno12 · August 29, 2019

Can't get any Zuccini to set fruit here in Indy for a couple yrs - gave up!
Pete

Worth1 · August 29, 2019

Story has it Napoleon used spaghetti squash in his cannon.

brownrexx · August 29, 2019

If you are using Neem and Sevin on a regular basis, maybe you are killing your pollinators. They are not selective insecticides.

upcountrygirl · August 29, 2019

My next thoughts are what godawgs said. Also brownrexx has good points, too. I'm noticing more pollinators around here now that the dot hasn't sprayed in a while. If you really want spaghetti squash maybe you could do some research for next garden season and buy the seeds. Also you maybe could test the soil in your beds and containers.. squash is usually one of the easier crops to grow for us...

MuddyBuckets · August 29, 2019

All good points to consider. Anyone willing to swap some successful spaghetti squash seeds for some Aleppo pepper, bishops cap and/or sugar rush pepper seeds. If so PM me and we can exchange addresses.

greenthumbomaha · August 30, 2019

Squash seeds cross easily, so be aware of this if you are trading either as the sender or recipient. Virtually every big box and hardware has a generous package on the seed rack for under $2 a pack.

I grew a hybrid called Orangetti (SP). It is high in beta carotene. Production is very low though, which is still enough for me + a share. Will not be restocking the seed. Regular will be fine for my one meal per year.

- Lisa

August 28, 2019	#1
MuddyBuckets Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Eastern/Coastal NC 8b Posts: 192	Spaghetti Squash Zone 7b - Piedmont North Carolina.This season I started seeds, potted up and planted 6 fairly large and robust spaghetti squash. Vines grew well and are now quite large with NO flowers or any fruit set. They were well watered and fertilized twice. We had a wet spring and a hot 30 days of 90+ in late June. Any pointers or suggestions on how to get production from a spaghetti squash is appreciated. Is it really worth the effort?

August 28, 2019	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	May be the hot weather but I am no expert. I wish I could help more.

August 28, 2019	#3
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	That's strange. I've grown spaghetti squash for about six years now and haven't run into that problem. Mine are a smaller version called Small Wonder. One is good for two people, a half for each. But variety size shouldn't have any bearing on this situation. I can understand the heat interfering with fruit set but June is long gone and you should have had some by now. What variety are you growing and what's the DTM?

August 28, 2019	#6
upcountrygirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: south carolina Posts: 562	Did you grow any other kind of squash? If so, what were your results with them? I'm a lil further south of you. No one I know around here had a good garden. Temperature too high and no rain. I also noticed less pollinators during that time...

August 29, 2019	#7
MuddyBuckets Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Eastern/Coastal NC 8b Posts: 192	Countrygirl Did not grow any other squash, garden overall this season has been less than productive, cukes pooped out (too wet, too hot, too dry...), okra tall and spindly (6 varieties), tomatoes were ok on the sun gold and black cherry but slicing tomatoes were a disaster, hot peppers (usually flourishing) had a spurt of production, remained small plants but very slow to ripen, eggplant...3 off of three plants...not exactly productive, tomatillos had lots of flowers but very few setting fruit. The good news is I had much fewer pests this season since using neem oil and sevin on a regular basis. Garden is raised beds and containers and neither seemed better this season.

August 29, 2019	#8
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	Can't get any Zuccini to set fruit here in Indy for a couple yrs - gave up! Pete

August 29, 2019	#10
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	If you are using Neem and Sevin on a regular basis, maybe you are killing your pollinators. They are not selective insecticides.

August 30, 2019	#13
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Squash seeds cross easily, so be aware of this if you are trading either as the sender or recipient. Virtually every big box and hardware has a generous package on the seed rack for under $2 a pack. I grew a hybrid called Orangetti (SP). It is high in beta carotene. Production is very low though, which is still enough for me + a share. Will not be restocking the seed. Regular will be fine for my one meal per year. - Lisa