Courgette Club for all those who are growing courgettes this year or who know something about it

[Dumbledoresgirl]

I have decided to start this thread as discussing courgettes in the middle of a G&T thread did not seem very polite.

So, my 5 small plants left the safety and security of their pots on the kitchen window sill today and went into the Big Open Ground that is my garden.

What chance I will get any courgettes?

Do they need daiy watering?

How about feeding?

I read on the packet they will fruit in August but we are away for 2 weeks then. Will I lose them all to marrows? I don't mind marrows per se but I am sure you have to keep picking the courgettes when small to ensure continuation of the crop. Is this right? Do I need to get someone in to pick them for me while I am away?

[GreatUncleBulgaria]

I need this thread ! DH planted some seeds ages and ages ago and we have a monster plant which is currently sunbathing on the deck with what is hopefully its first courgette growing.

I planted 4 seeds weeks ago and could only get one to germinate, it's about 2 inches tall and looks pathetic, which is highly annoying when DH's is a monster.

Things I have read about courgettes:

They are very easy so you should get loads off 5 plants and had better start reading up on courgette recipes.

They are very thirsty so will need daily watering when very hot.

I think I read that they are very hungry plants so will need feeding, I'm planning to use well rotted manure as have a free supply.

Our neighbours got us in to pick their courgettes when they were away, I think you're right about needing to pick them whilst small to get them to continue cropping.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Exciting isnt it? If you have one plant sunbathing on the deck does that mean it is in a pot?

[EccentricaGallumbits]

haven't done courgettes this year as still have a freezer full from last years bumper crop. They are dead easy, just water and away you go.

[GreatUncleBulgaria]

It's in a pot, rather belatedly being hardened off. DH slightly split the stem when he potted it up last time so goodness knows if it will survive going into soil, but we'll have a go at the weekend.

Very encouraging to hear about your freezer Eccentrica, gives me hope !

[OhBling]

I have a great courgette and couscous recipe if anyone wants it once their courgettes are done!

[gardeningmum05]

i have 4 plants grown in a vegetable sack, just had a flower last week but it disappeared i think my 2 yr old got to it more flowers coming through.
i have been watering daily.

[MrsMuddle]

How do you freeze them? We have four that we've planted out too early, and have subsequently almost died and come back to life, but we have six in pots in a cold frame that are much more healthy looking.

[fruitshootsandheaves]

oooh I love courgettes. I have just found a receipe for chocolate courgette cake but I will have to buy some to make it as we haven't grown any yet.

[missingtheaction]

Amish joke: 'why do Amish people lock their cars in August' 'so their friends don't give them any more courgettes'.

A happy courgette plant will churn out more courgettes than you can believe once it gets going. Personally I hate defrosted courgettes, only put them in casseroles as filler. Mrs Muddle, if you are going to plant 10 out I suggest you sort out your contract to supply Tesco right now.

They only need water and sunshine. I've never dared feed mine, would probably take over the world.

You need to keep cropping them to keep the courgettes coming.

If one grows to a marrow (i swear it happens while you are admiring your carrots - look away for a min and that lovely flower is a monster blob) just chop it off, new courgettes will grow.

Wathch out for ones growing at ground level, they can rot and slugs can get in. Just chop them off and new ones will come.

[watfordmummy]

oooh exciting I have got one (sad i know) alone in my very small plot. Peas which i grew last year and butternut squash (1), cucumber (1), and oinions and leeks.

Quite excited as to what I am going to get.

[GreatUncleBulgaria]

I'll abandon the feeding it bit right away then! Am going downstairs in a minute to do an inspection of baby courgette.

If we get tomatoes from our two million tomato plants plus courgettes then I guess I'd better think ratouille.

Love the yellow flowers, they are so cheerful and a change from the white ones I have on my strawberries and peas.

[LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune]

I am very excited this is my first try at courgettes, I planted 10 seeds in pots and got 9 plants so not bad going. Have given 6 away however as apparently they are prolific. The 3 I have are in a trench shaped container and I am a little worried it's not big enough. No flowers yet

I also have tomatos and aubergines!

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Well how sad am I? I popped out into the garden first thing to check on my courgettes and to see if they made it through their first night in the ground. They look fine, even the one I thought I bashed as I was transferring it from the pot.

I am not sure I am going to abandon the idea of feeding them though. Mine went into really poor soil with no fertiliser or anything

[BennyAndJoon]

I have no courgette plants this year, but do have a good watering tip:-

Cut the bottom off a plastic bottle, bury it next to your plant, upside down. Courgettes like wet roots but not wet leaves, so when you water you can just fill up your upside-down bottle. The triffid courgette plant will hide the bottle soon enough if you are worried about how it looks

[LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune]

BennyandJoon if you want a courgette plant and are anywhere near Farnham you can have one of mine! I think 3 is overdoing it!

[ingles2]

hello, can I join in?
I'm hoping for a prolific year in the garden. I've got courgettes, pumpkins, butternut squash, sprouting broccolli, cavolo nero, artichokes, jerusalem artichokes, beetroots, peas, tomatoes, chard, and shallots atm
This years big disaster is my broad beans.. they are being seriously attacked by birds and I've only got a few, pathetic, half eaten little specimens left.
Any one else growing them this year?

[MrsMuddle]

missingtheaction

[GreatUncleBulgaria]

I have spent the morning weeding at my friend's allotment and peaked over the fence at her neighbours courgette plants, they are so large you can see them over the fence (admittedly it is a small fence) .

We have a fair bit on the go this year, strawberry patch is doing really well, have a few peas, mange tout, beetroot, parsnips, tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, potatoes, chilli, sweetcorn, climbing and dwarf french beans, spinach, rocket, carrots, spring onions, leeks, cucumber, pumpkin purple sprouting broccoli, raspberries & blueberries, rosemary, thyme, garlic chives, basil & coriander. But small amounts of most of them with the exception of the tomatoes.

This is our third year of trying and am hoping we will actually get stuff this year and not run out of steam as we usually do after a few weeks in previous years. Everything has been grown from seed though this year so I feel quite protective about them

[midnightexpress]

Oh me too. Has anyone got courgettes in a growbag? I have put one in the garden, but it doesn't get a huge amount of sun, so I have three more in pots and am thinking of putting at least one of them in a growbag in our courtyard, which is sunnier. Will they be OK without really deep root area?

I'm trying nematodes for the slugs as ours are enormous and arrive in multitudes to eat everything.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Good grief GreatUncleBulgaria - that sounds like a veritable gardenful! How fantastic for you. I am really envious. Dh and I have a large garden and want to devote an entire side lawn area to growing veg. It was going to be our project this year as last year we had builders in extending our house by converting some outbuildings, but unfortunately, they took longer than they promised and only left last month. I just couldn't face a new project until the old one was done so the lawn didn't get dug up. The courgettes are the only thing I have growing veggie-wise, although we do have some herbs. Your list of fruits and vegetables sounds just the sort of thing I am hoping to have. Are there any seeds I can be thinking about planting at this time of year, maybe to get some winter vegetables?

[watfordmummy]

I don't have any flowers yet on my courgette, should I?

[littlerach]

Last year we harvested about 70 courgettes from 7 plants.

seriously, they keep going forever.
Dig out your recipe books now

I have planted 4 thisd year, and 2 yellow ones.
Our neighbours already look worried

[Dumbledoresgirl]

I imagine it depends on when you planted the seeds Watfordmummy. If it helps you to know this, I planted mine about 4 weeks ago and my biggest plant now only has about 5 leaves. I can't see any of them getting flowers for weeks yet.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Then again, I haven't got many gardening credentials and all of mine might be about to die....

Littlerach, 10 courgettes per plant then? Hmmm, I can just see my kids' faces now!

[giantkatestacks]

I dont have much success with courgettes for one thing the slugs and snails absolutely love them in my garden...