Squash timing

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escubed Brookline, MA(Zone 6a) Jul 12, 2006

As this is my first time growing butternut squash I am a curious about when I should see the first fruit. I have many flowers but those I have examined are males. Can anyone guestimate when I might see something that will one day be edible? Also, are people having difficulties withfertilization due to the decline of the bee population?

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tombaak High Desert, NV(Zone 5a) Jul 12, 2006

You'll see fruit soon, but you won't be able to eat them till fall. Honey bees are fantastic, we are lucky enough to still have some around here, but there are tons of other insects that will do the job!

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pajaritomt Los Alamos, NM(Zone 5a) Jul 12, 2006

I have been growing butternut squash for several years now and have never had any trouble with pollination. I have heard people in the orchard business worry about the loss of pollinators, but I have a jillion little insects and humming birds visiting my squash blossoms. I am told the wind can do the job as well.
And I haven't had any female blossoms on my plants yet either, but my experience is that they don't come for a while after the first male blossoms bloom.
The thing I have learned most recently is that they don't fully ripen ( at least to the tasty stage) until a couple weeks after the first frost. I bring them in and keep them at room temperature for a few weeks before eating them.
I am also in zone 5 but I am not sure about the a or b and I am at 7,300 ft. so our climates are probably pretty similar. And, by the way, butternut squashes grown here are delicious. I bet they are in Nevada as well.

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