What are these spots on my courgettes?

[heggied]

Hi there

I've got two courgette plants growing in a raised bed. They're both doing well - big, healthy looking things, starting to flower and fruit.

However, both of them have lots of little grey-white spots on their leaves. It doesn't seem to be affecting their growth any, but could anyone tell me what it is, if it's a worry and if so, what can I do about it?

[scarey55]

They look perfectly normal to me - either that, or we both have a problem

[heggied]

Oh! I am a novice, after all. I'd expected them to stay all nice and green

Cheers!

[scarey55]

No problem, I worried about mine last year until I asked on here

I often pull off "ragedy" leaves and the plant seems to be quite happy.

I would watch the fruit daily and pick it before it gets too big I usually pick mine when they are about 4 or 5 inches long, some of them never get into the kitchen

[pdblake]

It's mildew. Courgettes are very prone to it. It doesn't seem to bother them though.

I've got a couple that are almost completely white

[heggied]

Thanks for setting my mind at ease. I've been gradually growing more and more things in my garden for the past 5 years or so, with mixed results. This is the first year I've tried courgettes, so I was probably being paranoid

[Reks]

That explains why I have not dots but whitish stripes on mine. My neighbouring plot also has the same pattern so I thought it must be to do with the variety Now I know.

[seasprout]

It's mildew. Courgettes are very prone to it. It doesn't seem to bother them though.

I've got a couple that are almost completely white

Sorry.

Its definitely NOT mildew, its just normal patterning in Courgette leaves.

If you look in any book showing courgette plants you will see the same.

They look very healthy.

UPDATE:

Its still not Mildew, its actually air pockets under the epidermis (top layer) of the leaf.