Courgettes

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Courgettes
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Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 08 10:38 pm Post subject: Courgettes
I'm getting scared, nothing to pick yet (within the week though) but they are friggin enormous at least five times the size of the measly plants we grow last year, and there are tons of flowers already.

snowball
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 6240
Location: swindon

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 08 10:56 pm Post subject:
All I've got is lots and lots of huge leaves, not even a flower yet.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 08 10:56 pm Post subject:
You'll be OK, you've got a shotgun and a chainsaw haven't you?

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6540
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 08 11:27 pm Post subject:
we're moving on to our second planting....

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 6:15 am Post subject:
Ours are producing well - much better than last year.

mark

Joined: 14 Jul 2005
Posts: 2191
Location: Leeds

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 8:35 am Post subject:

producing well here

however the one planted outside under a bell cloche (an old water machine bottle ) has grown big and is producing loads of bigger fruit.

My ealier indoor sowing - transplanted outide are all smaller and producing tiny fruit - slower. That may well be a mercy but I'm sure they'll catch up .

Think maybe i'll drop the indoor sowing next year... I've seen the same thing in previous years too. The transplant sets them back by more than the gain of the indoor start. - though maybe worth having just a couple indoors in case any ourdoors don't come up or get eaten

And when we all start drowning in the b****y things and can't thin what to do with them remember the magic words "chocolate courgette cake"

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 8:39 am Post subject:
I grew mine outside from seed this year, and the've done loads better than the transplanted seedlings from last year. Strange.

mark

Joined: 14 Jul 2005
Posts: 2191
Location: Leeds

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 8:59 am Post subject:

Jonnyboy wrote:

I grew mine outside from seed this year, and the've done loads better than the transplanted seedlings from last year. Strange.

I have observed this pattern over several years now.

Starting under some sort of cloche in situ does seem to be much the best way to get courgettes off to a racing start.....

snowball
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 6240
Location: swindon

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 9:01 am Post subject:
Can I do anything to mine, like cut back some of the leaves?

marigold

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 9:10 am Post subject:

Snowball wrote:

Can I do anything to mine, like cut back some of the leaves?

I cut the lower leaves off mine as they become mildewed/tatty/just too big. Doesn't seem to affect the rate of fruiting at all.

My plant, which nearly died when I first planted it out, is going strong and producing enough courgettes for my requirements (and no more, thank goodness!) at the moment

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 10:05 am Post subject:

I wonder if they just don't do very well early on - they like warmth, don't they? And also, they like lots if water, and last year was very dry early on.

Mine is in (see, I'm learning!), planted late in the greenhouse, and left too long before planting out. I have very small plants with a few teeny courgettes on, and lots of flowers. Expecting courgettes in the next fortnight (At least, last weekend, they were- you know what they're like! Maube I should check)

Start emptying the freezer, then........

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12590
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 11:36 am Post subject:
Just put my first batch of courgette and blue cheese soup in the freezer.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 11:39 am Post subject:
Courgette frittata for lunch here.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 12:19 pm Post subject:
Right, I better go and check them. Especially given the monsters that I forgot about last year!

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Sat Jul 19, 08 12:45 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

Courgette frittata for lunch here.

Spinach and broccolli tart here, got a glut of that too.

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