zucchini

Zucchini growing to beat the band. However when they get 3 to 4 inches long they start to shrivel on the end and fall off. Good color and I think plenty water. Beginners luck?

Squash blossom end rot?

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ftos0zYXiYHsnM:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3212/2761998948_be883cb70a.jpg


(arghhh....I read the directions and everything, and I still can't get it...)

If that is what it looks like, it is usually caused by a calcium deficiency.

I don't know what you used to make your soil. One of the things Mel stresses is to use different types of compost. If you buy compost, one of the problems is that one doesn't actually know what is in it. So, presumably, there would be enough calcium. Then again, I am discussing the cure without knowing if my diagnosis is correct.

Well, back to medical school for me

If it is blossom end rot then I found this:

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/squash-blossom-end-rot-causes-and-treatment.htm

"The causes for squash end rot are simple. Squash blossom end rot happens due to a calcium deficiency.
Calcium helps a plant create a stable structure. If a plant gets too
little calcium while the fruit is developing, there is not enough to
sufficiently build the cells on the fruit. In particular the bottom of
the fruit, which grows the fastest, does not get enough calcium....


Water evenly – If the plant goes through drastic
changes in the amount of water it gets, it may not be able to take up
the calcium it need at the crucial time when the fruit is being formed.
Water evenly, not too much or too little.
Add the right kind of fertilizer – Add a low
nitrogen fertilizer to the soil before you plant. Too much nitrogen
will cause an imbalance of growth between the roots and the leaves. If
the leaves grow too fast, the plant does not have enough roots to take
up calcium the squash fruit will need.

Add lime - The soil pH must be between 6.0 and 6.5
for optimal calcium uptake. Use lime to balance you’re your soil’s pH
if it is too low, adding lime will correct this.

Add gypsum – Gypsum will help add calcium to the soil and will make that nutrient more readily available.

Remove the fruit and fix the problem – If squash
blossom end rot appears, remove the affected fruit and use a calcium
rich foliar spray on the plant. This will ensue that the next round of
squash that the plant grows will have sufficient calcium to grow
correctly."