Courgettes stopped production

[kitty12345]

Hello, was wondering how everyone's courgette plants are doing. Mine were doing fabulous until we went away and came back to three giant ones. After that there has been a handful harvested but definitely a slowdown.

Is this because they were unpicked for a week? Should I get rid of the plants now? There is very little new growth and the weather has turned cold. I am in London.

[Scarlet]

Yes, if you don't pick them they stop producing...same as beans and cues etc.
I'm currently reaping the awards from my neighbours garden as she is on hols for 3 weeks, I'm picking their courgettes, beans and cucumbers!

You could leave them for a few days to see if removing the old courgettes encourage a new flush of flowers...you may be in luck. You haven't really got much to loose?

[chillithyme]

Keep picking to help them, some of my plants started to die back with the change from hot to cooler weather, im trying to keep them going before they say goodbye for this year, feels like autumn down here, brrrr

[annie8]

Feel like mine have really slowed down in the last few weeks. Have been picking them. Thought it was related to the weather getting colder.

[Scarlet]

They do slow down but picking encourages them to throw out more flowers - a plants job is to set seed, if the plant has been left with fruit ripening on the plant it thinks it's job is done...if you carry on picking it should in theory continue to fruit but it can't do this for ever!

[Two_Sheds]

Mine have been picked continuously, and thank the heavens they are now winding down: got 3 today instead of 23