Are these blossoms on my squash seedlings?

luigiwu · May 1, 2014

I had some super old seeds and wanted to see if they were even good. They were awesome - too awesome!

So having issues now, I think they're gonna be stuck inside for too long.

Their leaves are getting yellow and the blossoms mean they are stressed? Should i pinch off their blossoms? The yellow is a nutrition deficiency, right? What about the blossoming - letting them get too dry and too stressed?

MrsJustice · May 1, 2014

I completely understand your situation. The weather has stressed many plants lately. As you can see the beautiful green color is a good indication the roots are stressing and you can cut off that yellowing leaf. My squash was able to leave the green house last week because of the weather conditions. They looked just like your before leaving the green house, but I removed the yellow leafs on one of them when I transplanted to the farm. It should be getting to the time in your zone to put those babies in the ground. You are lucky that you did not plant them in the ground weeks ago, because so many people lost their plants due to frost. Yellowing can also mean more sunlight is needed too. But in your case these roots want to be free!!!

Wi-sunflower · May 1, 2014

That big yellow leaf in the top pic looks to me is just the seed leaf (cotyledon). I wouldn't worry about that 1 at all. It will drop off on it's own soon. But the plant does need some fertilizer. Because you need to water more in those small pots, I would make up a very weak solution to use as your all the time water til you can get them either in bigger pots or in the ground.

Yes those little things do look to be flower buds. IF the plants are in big enough pot (over a gal size), you could leave them, but it looks like they are just in cups so it would be best to take them off.

I'm more concerned about the fact that there are some deformed leaves in pic 2. Those new leaves don't look right. To me it looks like you may have some aphid or thrip damage. Often you can't even see the bugs as they are so small and down in the growing tip of the plant. But those deformed leaves are the clue that something is there. A spray of soap water might be enough to get rid of them. Otherwise something with pyrithrum (sp?) would be safe especially since it will be a while til you eat anything from those plants.

Carol

Darren Abbey · May 1, 2014

The first few flowers are likely to be male flowers and so don't cost the plant much. I've never heard of pinching flowers on squash either, so I wouldn't worry about it.

luigiwu · May 2, 2014

Wi-sunflower, will the spray hurt these small plants? Like will the soap burn them? I have more picture and I looked and looked but I can't couldn't see the culprit. Some of the leaves almost have what I call "crispy"discolored part... while the rest of the leaf is perfectly healthy. Its the weirdest thing...
The only visible weird thing are these black things/dots on the yellowed cotyledon that I cut off...

Wi-sunflower · May 3, 2014

Yes, that is the mis-formed leaves I would be a bit concerned about.

Often that happens while the leaf is very tiny and the bugs move on long before you ever see them. Probably thrips. Slight chance it's due to the wilting from the small pots.

If you spray with a soap water solution in dim lite (just before dark or on an overcast day) it shouldn't hurt the plant at all. Then come back the next day or a few hours later with plain water to rinse the soap off. Be sure to keep the plants well watered so they don't get really wilted if possible. You may need to get them into bigger pots til you can get them in the ground.

Carol

May 1, 2014	#1
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Are these blossoms on my squash seedlings? I had some super old seeds and wanted to see if they were even good. They were awesome - too awesome! So having issues now, I think they're gonna be stuck inside for too long. Their leaves are getting yellow and the blossoms mean they are stressed? Should i pinch off their blossoms? The yellow is a nutrition deficiency, right? What about the blossoming - letting them get too dry and too stressed?

May 1, 2014	#2
MrsJustice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hampton, Virginia Posts: 1,363	I completely understand your situation. The weather has stressed many plants lately. As you can see the beautiful green color is a good indication the roots are stressing and you can cut off that yellowing leaf. My squash was able to leave the green house last week because of the weather conditions. They looked just like your before leaving the green house, but I removed the yellow leafs on one of them when I transplanted to the farm. It should be getting to the time in your zone to put those babies in the ground. You are lucky that you did not plant them in the ground weeks ago, because so many people lost their plants due to frost. Yellowing can also mean more sunlight is needed too. But in your case these roots want to be free!!! __________________ May God Bless you and my Garden, Amen https://www.angelfieldfarms.com MrsJustice as Farmer Joyce Beggs Last edited by MrsJustice; May 1, 2014 at 08:09 AM. Reason: Dyslexia

May 1, 2014	#3
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	That big yellow leaf in the top pic looks to me is just the seed leaf (cotyledon). I wouldn't worry about that 1 at all. It will drop off on it's own soon. But the plant does need some fertilizer. Because you need to water more in those small pots, I would make up a very weak solution to use as your all the time water til you can get them either in bigger pots or in the ground. Yes those little things do look to be flower buds. IF the plants are in big enough pot (over a gal size), you could leave them, but it looks like they are just in cups so it would be best to take them off. I'm more concerned about the fact that there are some deformed leaves in pic 2. Those new leaves don't look right. To me it looks like you may have some aphid or thrip damage. Often you can't even see the bugs as they are so small and down in the growing tip of the plant. But those deformed leaves are the clue that something is there. A spray of soap water might be enough to get rid of them. Otherwise something with pyrithrum (sp?) would be safe especially since it will be a while til you eat anything from those plants. Carol

May 1, 2014	#4
Darren Abbey Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 586	The first few flowers are likely to be male flowers and so don't cost the plant much. I've never heard of pinching flowers on squash either, so I wouldn't worry about it.

May 2, 2014	#5
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Wi-sunflower, will the spray hurt these small plants? Like will the soap burn them? I have more picture and I looked and looked but I can't couldn't see the culprit. Some of the leaves almost have what I call "crispy"discolored part... while the rest of the leaf is perfectly healthy. Its the weirdest thing... The only visible weird thing are these black things/dots on the yellowed cotyledon that I cut off...

May 3, 2014	#6
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	Yes, that is the mis-formed leaves I would be a bit concerned about. Often that happens while the leaf is very tiny and the bugs move on long before you ever see them. Probably thrips. Slight chance it's due to the wilting from the small pots. If you spray with a soap water solution in dim lite (just before dark or on an overcast day) it shouldn't hurt the plant at all. Then come back the next day or a few hours later with plain water to rinse the soap off. Be sure to keep the plants well watered so they don't get really wilted if possible. You may need to get them into bigger pots til you can get them in the ground. Carol