Q.Zucchini Flower Buds Falling, Leaves Spotty
I have my zucchini in a pot with a cage for support, and it’s also covered in a net because I’ve had issues with pests and bugs around me. The flower blossoms have repeatedly fallen off, so I can’t get any fruit growing! I looked it up and apparently it can be because nothing is pollinating the flowers under the net, but the buds aren’t even opening yet! Why are they falling off before blooming? Is it just that not every flower will bloom? Are they falling off because of rain/wind? If you have any solutions, that’d be great! I’m thinking of maybe taking the net off for a day or two here and there for pollinators, but I don’t want any unwanted bugs/critters getting to the plant! Another concern: a lot of my leaves have spots like the one picture. It doesn’t rub off, so I don’t think it’s powdery mildew, and I don’t see any bug damage on these affected leaves. I heard some zucchini leaves tend to just look like this, though. Is it cause for concern? I also went through a period of time when I had to water the plant daily because it was in too small of a pot and the leaves drooped until watered. Could it be stress?
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
That is spider mite damage. Unfortunately, without rigorous treatment the plant will be destined to die.
You will need to treat the spider mites, and the fungal damage that they cause when sucking the sap from your plants.
This will be the main reason that your blooms fall off before opening, but without pollination, they will not form fruit. Systemic insect control (which can be organic) is the best way to defend against insect predators while allowing pollinators to visit the plant. Netting will prevent pollination.
Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/systemic-pesticide-in-gardens.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/spider-mite-treatment.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides
