Here's a post that GW Squash expert WeirdTrev made that addressed a similar issue. Hope it helps with yours. Posted by weirdtrev Z7 MD (My Page) on Tue, Jun 2, 09 at 15:17 Do you have any fruits already on those plants? Every female flower is not able to become a squash, you will lose many. With most vining squash (including your tromboncino) once a female is pollinated subsequent females will wither away. This is because at that time the plant is not able to support multiple fruits. If you remove the pollinated fruit or the vines get bigger you will have more females. Also, If you don't pick your Romanesco zucchini often the same thing can happen. Maybe you forgot to pick one and had a really large zucchini, well that will definitely cause other females to abort before ever opening. You might promptly remove that large zucchini but the damage is done and it can be weeks before you get another. Personally, I have experienced that problem with the blossom not opening on a zucchini and I resolved the issue by growing in a different location. Not sure if the location had sun/water/nutrient problems, but moving it fixed the problem for the future. And if your other squash are located away from the problem squash, then location is definitely the issue and you should figure out what is different between it and the successful locations in your garden. Hope that helps a little! Susan

My fertilizer is Miracle Grow All purpose, applied once a week, though I'm still not sure how much to use so I may be doing it wrong. I totally understand how much per gallon of water, but do I pour the entire gallon into the pot? Half? Certainly that would affect something right? I've been doing half a gallon of fertilized water in each pot. The all purpose definitely has more nitrogen than anything else so maybe that was the problem? Your fertilizer is ok, but lets cut back to either half strength weekly or suggest strength every 2 weeks. If your plants are big and bushy, you prolly have enough foliage to make the fruit. You may also want to consider switching to a 1:1:1 ratio fertilizer like 20-20-20, which is comparatively lower in N than the 3:1:2 ratio all-purpose you're using. It doesn't matter if you apply the whole gallon to one container, or stop when about 10-15% of the solution has exited the drain hole. There is no additional benefit if you apply more than that. There can be harm though, if you aren't or are unable (because of risking root rot) to water thoroughly and flush the soil - carry-over from fertilization to fertilization is a possibility that would manifest itself first in necrotic leaf margins and tips. I'm sorry to say there is no formula that applies to all situations, Kathy. Please don't give up. Container gardening can be soo much fun and soo rewarding. Please stick with it (if you really want to succeed, and a combination of experience and knowledge will slowly increase your satisfaction with your growing experience for a while, and then suddenly, it will all start to come together in a rush. I often compare the learning curve with putting a jigsaw puzzle together. The initial investment in gaining experience and knowledge is like getting the border completed. After the border is done - you KNOW how fast the rest comes. ;o) There are lots of people here willing to help you with the border, and even the rest of the puzzle, so stick around - ok? I try to self-promote as little as possible & let those who have found value in things I've offered share their thoughts with others; but, in your case, I'm going to suggest two threads for you to read & understand. I honestly think that if you can come to understand what's in them, you'll at least have a good portion of the border assembled. The threads are Container Soils - Water Movement & Retention V and Fertilizer Program - Containerized Plants . If you do read them, I hope you find them helpful. Al

Not sure what the bug is, but the lack of pollination may not be due to them, but change in weather.

More than likely those blossoms did not get polinated and if they do not get pollinated they will simply shrivel up and die. If this is happening to most of your blossoms you may need to hand pollinate.