COLUMBIA, S.C. — The squash plants in Gandy's Garden here at News 19 are without a doubt, the fastest plants I'm growing right now. I started the squash seeds back in mid April and they're 6 to 12 feet long just 6 weeks later. Despite all the blooms, very few of the flowers actually translate into fruit because only the female flowers produce fruit.
You can easily tell a male flower apart from a female flower by looking at the stem the flower buds are growing on. Shorter stems with a bulge are female and long stems with no bulge are male. Telling them apart from each other is important if you want to keep track of the developing fruit on your plant.
Squash typically start off only producing male flowers for the beginning of their life. Male flowers require a lot less energy from the plant so they're much easier for the plant to create during the early stages.
If you're growing impatient with your plants, you can give squash blossoms a taste! Squash flowers are edible and mild flavored with buttery undertones. There are many great recipes online, but I personally love to squash the flowers with cheese and basil, add a little eggwash and breadcrumbs, and send them in the fryer. Zucchini flower fritters are a popular italian treat. Think of it as an adult mozzarella stick - or the perfect salad topper with just a little lemon.
The best time to pick off the male flower blossoms for recipes is when they first open in the morning. Make sure you keep a few on your plant so the pollinators can enjoy them too!