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?

there are little courgettes (maybe 2" long) behind the female flowers when they flower which then swell as the flower dies. Your flowers may have been male which often seem to come first for some reason. Probably around 2-3 weeks from flowers to courgettes at the start, but once the plants get going things speed up somewhat.

Yeb, no female flowers yet. Will they come eventually or have I go deformed plants!

I'd have thought they will come eventually. Not much point to them otherwise. Courgettes are strange things though, I have one plant this year that is producing long, thin curved courgettes, but it's the same variety as the others which are doing the usual shaped ones.

Delighted to find this thread - already had my most pressing courgette-growing question anwswered! (The rotting on the vine one - dh and I thought we were just doomed never to grow the world's easiest crop. Last year we only got males all summer )

Snorkle, you were asking for recipes. I picked up a recipe card in Waitrose the other day for courgette bake - was gorgeous. You slice several courgettes thinly, toss them in 1 or 2 tablespoons pesto, place in baking dish with 2 or 3 sliced tomatoes, top with breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake in mod oven about 25 mins til courgettes done. Really really nice.

Oooohhh an so happy there is a courgette thread!

We are currently supplying all our friends in the village with bloody courgettes - our 7 plants are churning them out at an alarming rate! I swear that they don't grow until you aren't looking at them then they swell to twice their size!

Also have a few small ones rotting at the flower end - not sure what this is but I gather this is normal from what you other guys are writing?

We often have summer veg risotto with the baby ones griddled with it or courgette and chorizo pasta which is just as yummy!

sorry maybe its me but snorkles "Your flowers may have been male which often seem to come first for some reason" make me snort.

cougette recipe....slice one in half,scoop out the middle, fill with stuffing, mushrooms, cheese put back together,wrap in foil and bake in the oven..delicious

This thread has grown behind my back, much like my courgettes! We had our first at the weeekend, very finely sliced in a salad. Very very exciting! Going back to t'allotment tonight to hopefully harvest more. I have had a few flowers rotting and dropping off, but a few courgettes on the way too.
My squash look like they're about to flower. DH hates squash but I love it.

Courgette and chorizo pasta sounds yummy MadameCastafiore, how do you do it?
Did anyone watch Valentine Warner last night, he was griddling courgettes on the barbecue which looked yummy.

going to pick my 1st courgettes this weekend

and i have cauliflowers growing,fantastic! they are about the size of a tennis ball, but they look great

help... 12 plants... 34 kilos in the last 3 weeks! last year we had 18 plants and 37 kilos over the whole summer . It's bloomin courgette world here.. green ones, yellow ones, ball shaped..

Anyone in Bournemouth want any? Any ideas? particularly on how to preserve them for winter use maybe?

Hiya, have loads of courgettes, I love them, so versatile, I was very interested to hear how you freeze them

I have 3 varieties, the white ones, green ones and monsters ;P

Depending on what i want to do with them I will either let them grow to about 3 inches and eat them sweet and raw, or 6 inches and do them in salad or cooked (I have so many oriental recipes), or I leave to grow to marrow size and stuff them lovely.....

If you want to hear more and some expert advice from another mum:

Have a look here:

Http://www.mumsgrowyourownorganicvegetables.com

It's great resource and ongoing support.