courgette, black beauty

[zazen999]

You are doing nothing wrong. Just let them get on with it. They will put out fruit soon enough.

[frantic furball]

A wise person once told me that no family of 3 needs more than 3 courgette plants but my family are a greedy bunch so I planted 6.... I have now learned that this family of 3 needs more than 3 courgette plants!

[Wannabegardener]

I'm growing some black beauty courgettes from seed and so far have 3, well maybe 4 plants in 5inch pots. I have deep 45cm planters for 2 plants to go into, but the plants look a bit wimpy at the moment - then stems that may come to grief in a breeze! They do have buds so are getting ready to flower.

So, what should I do next? Pick the 2 beefiest plants and repot them to the big planters or hold off a little longer?

Should I stake them to avoid them being snapped in the wind?

Also, the planter has no holes in the base - should I make some?

In case you haven't guesses, I am a novice gardener 😊

[Snoop Puss]

The planters will definitely need drainage holes.

If you can see the roots at the bottom of the pots, your plants need potting on.

How many people are you feeding? And how much do you like courgettes? You might find two plants are enough, one per planter.

[vixylix]

Hi Wannabe and welcome

You definitely need holes in the base - you need the water to be able drain out

As for your courgettes - I am no expert, but if they're a bit floppy I'd probably stake them - I had two snap in the wind last week I've only ever grown them in pots and I never find them to be very stable

[bario1]

Do you have an old compost bag you could use to make a windbreak? Just cut a section off horizontally to create a 'ring' of plastic about 6" deep and put it around the plant when you plant it out (secure it with small canes). Once the plant is established, you can remove it.

[Lymmguineas]

Do you have an old compost bag you could use to make a windbreak? Just cut a section off horizontally to create a 'ring' of plastic about 6" deep and put it around the plant when you plant it out (secure it with small canes). Once the plant is established, you can remove it.

Wish I'd thought of doing that with mine!
I've had some snap in the wind.

[Mrs Bee]

and why we need big freezers

and why the neighbours avoid us and I make them into piccalilli and sell it.

[veggiechicken]

and why the neighbours avoid us and I make them into piccalilli and sell it.

I'm glad I'm not a neighbour if that's what you do to them