Help with COURGETTES

[roisin]

Everything in my garden is rosy - I'm delighted everything has germinated and is growing well this year ...
... except my courgettes
I'm now on the fourth batch. They germinate fine, re-pot fine, grow the first couple of 'real leaves' .. then die.

Two lots died in a pot, and I thought maybe it was poor drainage/root rot. So I put the next lot straight in the ground when they were big enough, but they've died too.

What's going on? Any ideas? They're not being eaten btw, so not slugs/snails.

PS I'm going out now for the day but will come back to read your words of wisdom later.

you could cheat & do what we do - buy a couple of plants from the garden centre & plant them. never had any problems, though we do have freakishly good soil. sorry, don't think that's much help....

Put the next seeds straight into the garden. They need a lot of water.

Start them outside in a planting pocket about 12" by 12" of compost or rotted manure and soil. Sow 3 seeds, cover with a large jar or cloche to speed up germination. When the first true leaves have appeared, thin out to leave the strongest seedling.

Depending on area, you should keep them covered with a cloche for a few weeks.

Am I right in thinking that if they are big enough they can be planted in to a large pot ?? I have started some off in the greenhouse but they need to go in really.

hmmm, I've had similar problems roisin. I definitely think I should have covered the seedlings once I'd planted them out - will do that next time.

Sounds as if it might be damping-off disease. You can minimise the risk of this by putting the seed on its side in the pot.

If you are repotting them before they have their first two sets of leaves then it's too early. Don't repot them after they germinate, plant each seed in a separate pot and don't take them out until they're ready to go into the ground. Planting directly into the ground is OK at this time of year but there is more chance that the seed will not germinate.

Thanks all - I'll let you know how we get on.