Can anybody tell me what the heck this is ??

flowerbug

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Squash blossom end rot can cause those symptoms. Could be a calcium imbalance that can be caused by a number of things. Look up squash blossom end rot and see if the symptoms match.

the fungus isn't on the blossom end in the pics above.

sometimes it can be confusing to tell between BER and lack of pollination (there aren't as many wild bees around in many places so this can be an issue). one way to make sure you are getting pollination is to do it manually.
 

Ridgerunner

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Yeah, that is the blossom end but that doesn't look like the Blossom End Rot I've seen. The very tip is not rotten, but you may be right. I'm sure I haven't seen it all. To me it looks like it could be a mold or fungus. Perhaps that end was on the ground where it stayed wet. But this was a general thing, all new zucchini, not just this one. There is no question in my mind that that one was fertilized.

I think BER is a likely suspect, especially the way it came on. BER is often caused by water. If it gets too dry the calcium in the soil is not transmitted to the blossom end so you get the rot. Supposedly the soil getting and staying too wet can also stop the right amount of calcium from getting there. I think the earlier zucchini was OK so that probably mean there is enough calcium in the soil, it's just not getting to the fruit like it should.

If the soil is getting too dry, and in sand that is really possible, mulching can help. It helps keep the moisture level more stable. Regular watering might help too.

It's Friday but if you send a couple of photos to your county extension office they probably can give a positive ID or come up with different possibilities for your area.

At first I didn't think it was BER because of that not rotten tip, but the more I read on here the more I think it is likely.
 

thistlebloom

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haha! if so i'm blind, forget it.

I defer to your experience, but does the blue circled end not look like a stem?
And the purple look like a dried blossom?

Maybe @Clyounger can straighten me out.

1595029295033.jpeg
 

flowerbug

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I defer to your experience, but does the blue circled end not look like a stem?
And the purple look like a dried blossom?

Maybe @Clyounger can straighten me out.

View attachment 36235

yes. <-- note i'm agreeing with you. :)

but i don't consider that a clear case of BER.

could it have been a fungal infection just by being in proximity to damp ground or mulch that had a fungal infection going on?

from what i remember if something has BER the end is rotten and not preserved so it looks different to me than these pictures, but most of my BER experience is with tomatoes not squash.
 

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