19 August 2008
Courgettes – what am I doing wrong?
Ok, so by this time of year anyone with a courgette plant or two is overrun with the blighters. Not me. No, no no. We’ve had a few very tasty individual fruit from our Costa Romanesque and Rondo di Nizza plants but we are nowhere near a glut. How come?
The soil is nicely manured and rich, they have plenty of room, there appear to be no bugs or diseases afflicting the plants. So what’s going on? Has there not been enough sunshine? Or am I simply cursed with being bad at courgettes?
I know that those of you who are drowning under a sea of summer squash are shaking your heads and telling me to be careful what I wish for. Why would anyone want to have too many courgettes, for goodness’ sakes? Well, perhaps I am foolhardy. But right now, all I know is that I am a fool who desires more courgettes!
On a side note, why is it impossible to photograph courgettes on the plant without them looking utterly rude?
Filed under: Mulch — Clare @ 3:35 pm
I’m still waiting for a courgette spurt. I’ve promised my neighbours loads and now I haven’t got any for myself.
I was blaming the sun but then I noticed some discarded marrows on my allotment site that were of gargantuan proportions.
Oh the shame!
(19.08.08 @ 6:26 pm)
Hi earthwoman. I’m glad that at least I’m not alone! Thank you for letting me know.
(19.08.08 @ 6:34 pm)
Hi Earthwoman, I too am waiting for a glut… I have 4 courgette plants and barely have enough for us let alone anything else. They are there, but not developing… maybe they need a pollinator? I dont know… they just go all soft at the flower end, fail to thrive then drop off!!
(19.08.08 @ 6:42 pm)
Hi Tattyanne. If you’re having problems with pollination, you can always pick off one of the male flowers and rub it suggestively against the female flowers to help things Along. Female flowers will have tiny courgettes underneath them, males will not. Artificial insemination courgette style.
But if they’re going all soft at the flower end then maybe it’s to dowith too much rain?
(19.08.08 @ 6:50 pm)
Could it be that spell of cooler weather discouraged insects and pollination at a critical time – even my courgettes have slowed a little now that the weather has changed for the worse.
(19.08.08 @ 6:50 pm)
Hi easygardener – more votes for pollination difficulties, eh? I’ll have to take a closer look at mine and see if I can’t help them along. And I appreciate your diplomatically subtle way of alluding to the fact that you are clearly having a glut – even though it has slowed down – without actually saying so. Your sensitivity is very welcome!
(19.08.08 @ 6:52 pm)
Mine took longer than usual to get going this year… so yours may yet come good.
BUT I must confess I’ve never heard of the two varieties you mention. Could it be that you’ve just chosen a not terribly prolific pair of cultivars? And if so, where do I queue to buy seeds for next year??
(19.08.08 @ 7:07 pm)
Hi Soilman. Well, I’ve not grown the costa romanesque before so maybe you’re right. But I have the rondo di nizza and they’re usually frighteningly prolific. Nice round courgettes that are great for stuffing. If I ever get any, that is!
(19.08.08 @ 7:47 pm)
I am also without a glut. And I’m growing Rondo di Nizza which are lovely together with Genovese. They are glutting merrily over the garden wall for my neighbour but not for me. I think the wet and the snails are to blame and some early snail/slug damage which may have weakened the plants. My squashes aren’t terribly happy either. Many flowers/small courgettes are just rotting and falling off. The galling thing is I grew my neighbour’s plants from seed and gave them to her and she’s done much better than I have!
(20.08.08 @ 10:44 am)
Hi Eliane – Welcome to P’Soup. That does sound galling – can your neighbour be persuaded to share?
(20.08.08 @ 10:54 am)
Last year when my glut was even rejected by the 2 next door neighbours, as they were sick of them – this year, I think we’ve had 2, and there are about 4 on the plants, but 2 have rotted at lunch time! I blame me…I’m proably doing something wrong!! But, I do have one plant that is all male flowers!! No females! Its got a gender problem…..its all feast or famine. Cat x
(20.08.08 @ 5:41 pm)
Hi Cat – I think it must be the rain and the lack of real summer warmth. At least, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it! I always seem to get far more male flowers than females too. No good.
(20.08.08 @ 5:55 pm)
I am still waiting for my “glut” of courgettes – and here in wet wales I am not the only one – I think the rain is partially to blame. I am more reassured when even Easygardener’s courgettes have slowed down.
Karen
(20.08.08 @ 7:23 pm)
Hi Karen, so glad to hear from someone else in this position. This is what I love about the internet – that sense of community!
(20.08.08 @ 7:31 pm)
I say that if you can’t get the them to fruit, eat the blossoms! They are fantastic. Stuffed. Really very good. That’ll teach ‘em not to fruit!
(20.08.08 @ 9:47 pm)
I was on the verge of a glut ( 5 plants producing regular fruit) then I went away for 2 weeks, came back to marrows and since then they’ve not produced any…..But it coincided with the awful wet weather and with a few dry days the plants are picking up and producing tiny healthy looking fruit again…phew!
Courgettes are one of my favourite veg and I was looking forward to a glut. Maybe we’ll get that indian summer that everyone’s hoping for so don’t lose hope yet!
(21.08.08 @ 9:41 am)
Hi compostings – Yes, that’s a good idea. Ihave often thought about that but never actually tried it. As I’m on leave for the next coupld of weeks I was thinking I might experiment in the kitchen so maybe that’s a good place to start.
LisaB – Hi! 5 courgette plants? 5?! I can only think that you are fortunate not to have a glut because with 5 plants at full production you would surely get buried beneath a mountain of the things. You’re a brave woman!
(21.08.08 @ 10:05 am)