eggplant & zuccini
 

Two questions:
I have a variety of egg plant called "white cloud hybrid", how big
do the fruits get and how do you know if they're ripe?
I have zucchini with a problem, of three plants only one seems to
try to fruit and when it does the squash only grow to about 3 inches then
turn yellow and start to rot, what do I need to do for these guys?
It might help for you to know I live in central Florida and the
weather has ranged from soaking wet for days at a time to dry and in the mid
90's for days (this time of year nothing is consistent)
Thanks for any help you can offer,
Larry L. (a first year 'gardener')

eggplant & zuccini
 

rom: "Larry"

I have zucchini with a problem, of three plants only one seems to
try to fruit and when it does the squash only grow to about 3 inches then
turn yellow and start to rot, what do I need to do for these guys?

Squash is bisexual bearing seperate male and female flowers. If the female
blossom is not pollinated properly it will abort. Usually the bees take care
of the pollination but if they do not then its up to you. Take a small artists
brush and transfer the ripe pollen to the female or pick off a ripe male and
smoosh it on the female flower.

eggplant & zuccini
 

Larry said:

Two questions:
I have a variety of egg plant called "white cloud hybrid", how big
do the fruits get and how do you know if they're ripe?

I'm not sure how big they get. (Do you have a tag or seed packet that
might tell you?)

Eggplants can be harvested while still small (but no longer hard). The
skin should be glossy (color depends on variety -- white, green, streaked,
shocking 'neon' violet or purpley-black). If the skin goes dull and the
fruit starts to go spongey, they are overmature.

I have zucchini with a problem, of three plants only one seems to
try to fruit and when it does the squash only grow to about 3 inches then
turn yellow and start to rot, what do I need to do for these guys?
It might help for you to know I live in central Florida and the
weather has ranged from soaking wet for days at a time to dry and in the mid
90's for days (this time of year nothing is consistent)
Thanks for any help you can offer,

Pick them small...baby squash command a premium!

It sounds like a pollination problem. Either you haven't any pollinators, or the
wet weather has kept them away. You can fill in for the bees by transferring
pollen from the male flowers to the female ones yourself.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

eggplant & zuccini
 

Two questions:
I have a variety of egg plant called "white cloud hybrid", how big
do the fruits get and how do you know if they're ripe?
I have zucchini with a problem, of three plants only one seems to
try to fruit and when it does the squash only grow to about 3 inches then
turn yellow and start to rot, what do I need to do for these guys?
It might help for you to know I live in central Florida and the
weather has ranged from soaking wet for days at a time to dry and in the mid
90's for days (this time of year nothing is consistent)
Thanks for any help you can offer,
Larry L. (a first year gardener')
1. White Cloud is a relatively small eggplant, Size depend somwewhat on growing
conditions but six inches long should be in the ballpark. As has been
mentioned, eggplant should be picked before the the gloss fades from the skin.
A bit harder to see with white eggplant but still applicable,
2. Sounds like you have no pollinating insects.

eggplant & zuccini
 

Thanks every one for the great info. You've answered all my questions and
been aof graet help!
Larry
"FarmerDill" wrote in message
...

Two questions:
I have a variety of egg plant called "white cloud hybrid", how
big
do the fruits get and how do you know if they're ripe?
I have zucchini with a problem, of three plants only one seems to
try to fruit and when it does the squash only grow to about 3 inches then
turn yellow and start to rot, what do I need to do for these guys?
It might help for you to know I live in central Florida and the
weather has ranged from soaking wet for days at a time to dry and in the
mid
90's for days (this time of year nothing is consistent)
Thanks for any help you can offer,
Larry L. (a first year gardener')
1. White Cloud is a relatively small eggplant, Size depend somwewhat on
growing
conditions but six inches long should be in the ballpark. As has been
mentioned, eggplant should be picked before the the gloss fades from the
skin.
A bit harder to see with white eggplant but still applicable,
2. Sounds like you have no pollinating insects.