Zucchini Rotting at Hot-Dog Size? Blossom-End Rot & Pollination Fixes

Zucchini fruit reaches ~6 inches then rots. Only one fruit matured. Two main causes: incomplete pollination or water management issues (often called blossom-end rot, though true BER is calcium-related).

Pollination Fix

• Hand-pollinate: Use Q-tip/brush to transfer pollen from male flower (straight stem) to female (tiny fruit at base) within 1 day of female opening.
• Attract bees: Plant sunflowers, marigolds, cosmos nearby.

Water & Soil Management

• Water deeply to 1.5″ depth once/week. Mulch heavily with straw/grass clippings.
• Fertilize every 2 weeks with low-N, high-P fertilizer.
• Amend soil in fall with compost, aged manure, peat moss—improves drainage, nutrients, disease resistance.

Consistent moisture + active pollination = full-sized zucchini.