Argh! What's wrong with my courgette plant?

[Scott Hogg]

I have it a good water on Wedneday before I went away. I came back on Saturday and it doesn't look great.

[greenishfing]

It looks like frost damage to me.

[Scarlet]

Looks like it's had a touch of frost. Courgettes are tender plants and really need to be brought indoors if the temperaturs are forecast low. Most peeps don't start courgettes until May so you've plenty time to start again.

[Guest]

Yep, its the soggy frosted look of death I had the same issue this week-my dad gave me some courgettes and beans and they were too tender for the sheltered spot I had them in and it only took them one night

[Scott Hogg]

That makes sense.

I did hear that the weather was miserable when I was away.

I take it that the plant is beyond help?

I kept them in my polytunnel although we had 1/2 an inch of snow last week.

[Potstubsdustbins]

It doesn't look good, you could wait and see but set more seed so you are ready should the worst happen.

[cilla]

Being a newbie, when is the best time to plant out? I see the result from frost here. My courgettes from seed are really growing and I am keeping them inside the house for the moment as I did put them in a cold frame in April but did not like that. I don't want to damage the health plant.

[muddled]

Mine don't go out til the seventh of June at the earliest.
I lost everything (squashes, beans, chillis and so on) in a hard frost on the 6th of June a few years ago (I'm in London).
So the seventh is my 'magic day' now....and even then, only if the forcast is good.

[cilla]

Mine don't go out til the seventh of June at the earliest.
I lost everything (squashes, beans, chillis and so on) in a hard frost on the 6th of June a few years ago (I'm in London).
So the seventh is my 'magic day' now....and even then, only if the forcast is good.

Great thanks for that. I live in Bucks so similar. Do your plants start to flower in the pot? My plants are growing like mad at the moment.

[alldigging]

Not even going to look at the picture. It's almost certainly because it's too cold for it.

[muddled]

Don't worry about flowers, most of the early ones on squashes are male and they can be picked off and eaten anyway!

[Scott Hogg]

It's forecast to be -4 tonight so I'm taking some things indoor just to be safe.

Ah, good old N/E of Scotland

[Potstubsdustbins]

Ah but Scoot don't forget that when your summer arrives your days will be longer than ours, so you can make up lost ground.

[ancee]

I shoved mine outside on Saturday. It has rained loads ever since, but they seem to be romping away. They're covered in flowers, some of their leaves don't look as good as they did, but they seem to be thriving. I've planted too many again anyway, so, only the strongest will survive hopefully, or its courgettes for tea every night, again...

[Scott Hogg]

I'm thinking of getting a small paraffin heater just to boost the temperature of my little polytunnel during the night. Worth getting?