It is important to regulate irrigations properly to avoid excessive moisture or water stress. Research has shown that the use of drip irrigation under black plastic mulch is superior to sprinkler irrigation with black plastic mulch. Yields usually increase dramatically. See also the OSU Irrigation Guide for this crop. Only the female flowers set fruit.
Bees transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers, making fruit set possible.
It is recommended that one honey bee hive should be introduced for every 1 to 2 acres during the blooming period since native bee populations may not be adequate, or may not coincide properly with the blooming period. A Guide for Growers and Beekeepers. Questions come up about cucumbers, melons, gourds, and summer and winter squash, crossing and affecting the eating quality of one vine crop or another. This is NOT a problem. Intercrossing is only a problem when seed is saved for replanting, in which case squashes of the SAME species need to be isolated for crop purity.