I'm really frustrated because my pumpkin, zucchini, and cucumber plants are all producing a ton of male flowers but not a single female. I'm located in New York State, zone 6B, and the weather has been crazy this season with heavy rain in late May and early June followed by some chilly days, though it's warm again at 82 today. This is my first time managing a large garden plot; I've previously done container gardening. I researched a lot to avoid mistakes, but I might have over-fertilized with nitrogen. I've checked the pH, watering, and light levels, so I'm at a loss. Most of my other plants like eggplants and peppers are doing well, but the sugar pumpkins are letting me down. Pollinators are frequenting my plants, so I honestly don't know what's going wrong. I just want to avoid making the same mistakes next year!
3 Answers
I feel your pain! One of my cucumber plants is super tall with tons of side shoots, but only male flowers, which is baffling! You'd think they would want to reproduce. It’s just one of those gardening mysteries, I guess. Hang in there!
It sounds like you're not alone with the male flower issue! My sugar pumpkins were only producing males for months, but recently they started producing females, so there’s still hope. Just a tip: avoid cutting back those large leaves—they're vital for photosynthesis and help your plants thrive!
You're definitely not the only one! I'm experiencing the same frustration here in Nova Scotia—lots of males and no fruit. Our weather has been rough with a major drought, but thankfully it's cooler now. Just keep on tending to your plants!