Female flower ripening earlier than males (squash)

[CrazyConure]

I made a thread a couple of weeks back on how I first spotted my first flower (male).

Well, we have many male flowers now, but one female. The female came out much after the males but I see faint yellow on her flower but the males are still green. I'm worried the males won't open in time to pollinate her. How can I speed up male flowering? Should I fertilize the plants with male flowers with more nitrogen and not the female's on the plant? They are on 2 separate plants, so I can get away with only fertilizing the males only.

 

[CrazyConure]

Here's the female:



I don't have any pictures of the males. It's just a green flower that's opened a little. No faint yellowing.

 

[Chuck]

Don't worry, be patient. Mother Nature has some experience in this sort of thing

 

[Corzhens]

We had planted squash several times. It's actually like the cantaloupe that we have now in the backyard (incidentally I harvested the biggest fruit yesterday). The male flowers usually come out first and the female follows. So I guess if there are no more active males (withered and wilting) then I'm sure there will be male flowers coming up. I agree with @Chuck that you need to be patient. So relax and let nature take its course on your squash.

 

[CrazyConure]

Please help!

The female flower opened!!! The male flowers are all still closed. How can I ripen them? Please help me. I don't want this flower to go infertilized.

 

[CrazyConure]

Ok. I tried something, and I think it's going to work.

I opened the male flowers and noticed there was pollen. I use 3 unripened male flowers to pollinate the female. I'm hoping it works but I'm not going to get my hopes up. I used the male parts as a brush. I don't see anything different (color wise) on the female. I touched the parts myself and there was pollen in it.

I'm a little worried. I covered the flower with a plastic bag so nothing (water, bees ect) will get it and take away the pollen.

I'm very curious on how it will turn out. I'm going to be shocked if it does work though.