Courgette seedlings

[seeyouinanotherlifewhenwearebothcats]

Hello all. I got one of those grow your own courgette kids sets at b&q. Put them on the windowsill and now they’ve popped the lid off their little container. Can I just leave it off? Or do I need to move them all to individual seedling pots? If they make it can I put them outside next month? Thanks in advance

I have used the phrase, "fuck it at least they can be compost" more than once @Brieandbeetroot Never thought of a stunt marrow a la stunt pineapple.

I bought a mandolin and made antipasti, bread and butter pickles. Grated them and created multiple versions of courgette cake, pesto, jam, you name it we tried it. Frittata for breakfast (everyday)
Courgette three ways in a Battenberg anyone?

Loving the panic courgette recipes! Never on my life have I achieved stuffed courgette flowers but I have managed to get them into salads. Last summer I complacantly awaited the glut and all 4 of my (rare heirloom cool shapes and colours etc etc) plants gave up the ghost under the heat onslaught so I'm looking forward to swearing about them and blitzing them into soup this year

OP you might want a waterproof tray under them to get the pots wet enough without staining your nice windowsill!

Oh this is a good tip! Thank you! DH has already requested courgette and almond soup… Don’t think he’s realised it might a daily menu fixture by the sounds of it 😄

You’ll notice them go limp and floppy because they’re no longer getting water through roots. It’ll have happened by now.

Those look as if they’ll be fine. How did you separate them? Gentlest of tugs while shaking works well.

next year plant them singly, eg in the cups of an egg box

Oh you’re good!! They’re floppy this morning and I was panic stations. Yeah I didn’t touch stems and just gently shook. The roots did come apart ok in most cases. I’ve got about 3 standing tall this morning but the rest flopping. Fingers crossed for full recoveries

Give them another water, and keep them out of the sun, if you have such a thing where you are.

Don't worry too much about casualties, OP. Any more than 2 courgette plants and a normal family will be more than adequately kept in vegetables. More than 3 and you'll be drowing in the damned things.

I have 4 plants doing well in one wide pot and will pot them on soon. I always bury the stems deeper when potting on as I do tomato plants. I tend to final-plant them in 3-4 corners of a large planter where they can drape over and pick them small to eat in salads which I pretty much live off in summer.

As I'm using seeds from the same packet as last year and they didn't have as many courgettes as I'd hoped (I know - be careful what you wish for!) what makes does everyone suggest for those grown outside? Tagging @Pestispeeved as yours look amazing 😍

@MereDintofPandiculation done ✅ thank you!
@JulieHoney thank you. I’m hoping to just plant out two eventually for myself. But last night in my fear about the abundance of courgettes I have several people lined up to take a plant 😂 but I’m sure they won’t be heartbroken if I can’t produce them

You should be fine, they are pretty hardy. I regularly iflgnore what the pack says about germinating and potting on. Obviously it does always end up being good idea! They will grow like crazy, so be prepared to pot into bigger ones soon.

Back looking for more tips! I’ve managed to gift(offload) most of the courgette plants to family and friends. I’ve planted out two. What is the best/recommended mulch for around them? Many thanks.

I put bark chips around mine but have noticed slug slime so they’re not offering much protection in that area!

I usually just use compost or (well rotted) manure. Have never failed to have far too many courgettes (until we go away for two weeks and come back to gigantic marrows)

I cut the bottom out of a wide flower pot, put copper tape around it and put it over the plant when I plant them out. Keeps the slimy nasties away!

Great tips! Thank you