transplanting can slow down squash, but I grow several every year and always transplant. Even my giant pumpkins get transplanted after it is 2 feet tall and wide. Transplant carefully and you should have no problem. It looks to me like maybe too cold and too wet. ? Where are you located? I am on the coast of British Columbia and this (last week of May or first week of June) is when I set my plants to ground from the green house. Don't fertilize until they show growth. If you can put a cover over them that will help to warm them up but DON"T burn them!. You need root growth in June. Taking off the first few flowers will let leaves and roots develop. Leaves and roots are what feed the fruit.

I've had plenty of bees and other little pollinating bugs so I don't think that's a problem for them (and I added a little extra help too so I'm sure they're pollinated). I did get them started late this year (because of illness), but they have been blooming well since the end of June. I think the major problem was the 100 degree heat we had for such a long stretch. It's cooled down these past couple of weeks and I've seen a new enthusiasm in blooming since then so I wonder if the extreme heat kept the female blooms from setting on. I'm in the process of setting up an indoor aquaponics system so I will be able to bring them inside and I should have my grow lights by then. Hopefully that will be enough to finish off the fruit. (And today I just saw a second unopened female bloom on the squash.) Thanks for the 5 week info. I've seen a lot of places with info on how long from seed to maturity, but not on how long it takes after the fruit starts.

We live in the city, near the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I just realized my zone was off.... I harvested my first tomato (a cherry) two weeks ago, which is really late for us too. I'm not holding out much hope for the melons- I'm going to bring a mottled leaf into the Botanical Gardens and see if they can identify the problem. If it's a virus, I'll be pulling up at least one plant:(. This weather is nutters. It's freaking nippy outside tonight! Don't want to know what type of damage this cold will do to my cukes and melons @_@.

Out of season blooming is usually triggered by temperature fluctuations and shortened day length - the plant is fooled into thinking it's spring because temps and light conditions mimic those of spring to some degree. A number of plants are inclined to do this - rhododendrons, some flowering shrubs and trees....even certain perennials. Usually, the flower production is minor compared to a regular season bloom cycle and doesn't really affect the normal spring show. FWIW, my forsythia is throwing a few blossoms right now, as it does most falls. Doesn't put a dent in the spring flower show, however. Depending on your location, some pollination and fertilization could occur resulting in fruit but it's unlikely.