anm wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
My zuccs have BER!

snip

Any ideas from experience?

Any references to a detailed explanation of how BER happens, in
particular how uneven watering results in a mineral problem?

David

You may have a polllination problem David
I have had similar problems over several years with zucchini,
pumpkins and melons.
Basically a lack of bees to do the pollination
We have gone from a situation of bees everywhere down to severely
limited numbers

I have plenty of bees, I see them every day, right now they are working on
the brassicas and other veges that have gone to seed next to the zuccs. I
usually have plenty of mature pumpkins and other bee pollinated crops
although the pumpkins are not flowering yet. This seems at first face to
not be the answer.

(Not sure of the cause; possibly insecticides, but not sure.)
This has meant hand pollination of the female flowers
Others in our locality have the same problem.

An extract from this URL may be appropriate:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40740300.tip.html#81945718

" Zucchini Rotting on the Vine
This is a common problem in climates where there are not enough bees
to pollinate the plants. You may have the zucchini in an area where
the bees don't bother with it. When the flowers are not
cross-pollinated, the zucchini grows but rots at about 4-5 inches
long. If you can, take a Q-tip and rub some pollen from one flower to
the next when they first open up. Do this several times and the
zucchini should then grow properly! (06/30/2006) "

HTH
anm

Well in the interests of science I am going to give this a try. I will
report on the results. Thanks

David