Meet Marion Murray

Marion Murray coordinates the Utah IPM Program with Diane Alston.

She runs the IPM pest advisory system for the State, serving the tree fruit industry, green industry, and small fruits and vegetables.

Her current research and Extension interests include diseases of tree fruits and improving adoption of IPM in tree fruits and the green industry.

Marion shares this information in her latest news letter...

Many gardeners have had poor fruit set this season on squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and melons.

Several conditions can cause vegetables to not set fruit, the primary reasons this year being hot days and warm nights and poor pollination. Too much nitrogen fertilizer, irregular watering, shade, or genetics can also cause poor fruit set.

Tomatoes do not require pollination for fruit set, but an extended period of temperatures above 90 (when followed by a long period of cool temperatures), will cause the flowers to drop off before the fruit can set. As nighttime temperatures cool, fruit set improves. Some varieties are more sensitive than others.

Most vining crops have both male and female flowers and require pollination. Fruit that does not develop fully, or that is misshapen means that it was not fully pollinated. There could be a variety of reasons such as lack of pollinators or lack of male or female flower production.

To combat the problem of poor fruit set, there are a few things you can do for next season:

• plant multiple cultivars of each type of vegetable you are growing to ensure there is adequate mix of male and female flowers (for vining crops) and adaptability to climate (for tomatoes)

• maintain even soil moisture and do not over-fertilize

• plant pollen- and nectar-producing plants around the garden to promote pollinator activity

Feel free to email Marion Murray (marion.murray@usu.edu) with any questions or comments about the newsletters.