Sowing all things Cucurbit - 2019

[Bren In Pots]

Mine are only in the GH during the day then it's back into the house for overnight. We've got weekend temps of 3c again.

[Penellype]

Has anyone noticed that courgette seeds monitor what you do?

Every year I grow too many courgette plants and every year I swear I will grow fewer next year. I sow the number I want and 1 or 2 extra if the seed is old, in case they don't come up.

This year is typical:

Number of courgettes required = 4 (2 for allotment and 2 for my friend).
25th April sowed:
2 "Zucchini" - new seed
2 Green Bush - old seed
2 Piccolo - very old seed.
By 30th April both Zucchini had germinated.
By 5th May there was no sign of life whatsoever in the other pots so I sowed the remainder of the packet of Piccolo (3) and 2 more Green Bush.
By 19th May there was no sign of life at all from either. As time is running out I sowed 2 more Zucchini as I know they will germinate.

So what happens this morning? One of the Piccolo is germinating.

EVERY SINGLE YEAR exactly the same thing happens. It doesn't matter how long I wait, as soon as I sow more seeds, the very next day the original ones start to appear. But you can bet your life if you don't sow any more seeds, nothing will happen.

Courgettes scare me.

[Runtpuppy]

Has anyone noticed that courgette seeds monitor what you do?

Every year I grow too many courgette plants and every year I swear I will grow fewer next year. I sow the number I want and 1 or 2 extra if the seed is old, in case they don't come up.

This year is typical:

Number of courgettes required = 4 (2 for allotment and 2 for my friend).
25th April sowed:
2 "Zucchini" - new seed
2 Green Bush - old seed
2 Piccolo - very old seed.
By 30th April both Zucchini had germinated.
By 5th May there was no sign of life whatsoever in the other pots so I sowed the remainder of the packet of Piccolo (3) and 2 more Green Bush.
By 19th May there was no sign of life at all from either. As time is running out I sowed 2 more Zucchini as I know they will germinate.

So what happens this morning? One of the Piccolo is germinating.

EVERY SINGLE YEAR exactly the same thing happens. It doesn't matter how long I wait, as soon as I sow more seeds, the very next day the original ones start to appear. But you can bet your life if you don't sow any more seeds, nothing will happen.

Courgettes scare me.

I had the same thing but with butternut squash :-|

Planted 2 seeds in a fibre pot in the hopes of getting at least one. Neither germinated. I waited weeks. Then, since nothing was happening, I planted a fresh seed in that same pot. The new seed germinated just fine. Suddenly, two days ago, I noticed two more seedlings growing in there :-\

[Thelma Sanders]

I planted 12 pots each with 2 seeds in, only one variety was very old seed so was on the 'may not germinate list'. So far (after a couple of weeks) only 8 seeds have germinated, 1 per pot, except for 1 pot where both have germinated. Some of the no shows are new seeds this year - very annoying

I know if I re sow, they'll all suddenly grow at once... but do I chance not having enough?

[Bren In Pots]

This year I've only got 5 plants and like Thelma I'm starting to think is it enough.

[ameno]

My horned melon seedlings are looking... unwell.
They germinated really quickly, but they are slow growing and they still only have one adult leaf. In the last week the seed leaves have gotten sun scorched and shrivelled up, so I fear they won't grow enough to plant out in time. Sow them earlier next year I guess.

[Penellype]

My horned melon seedlings are looking... unwell.
They germinated really quickly, but they are slow growing and they still only have one adult leaf. In the last week the seed leaves have gotten sun scorched and shrivelled up, so I fear they won't grow enough to plant out in time. Sow them earlier next year I guess.

The seed leaves shouldn't matter once true leaves start to develop, but the important thing is that there is a central bud to grow from. If that has shrivelled up you are in trouble.

[Super Sprout]

Have I left it too late to sow Butternut Squash and Pumpkins?

Thanks!

[Small pumpkin]

Have I left it too late to sow Butternut Squash and Pumpkins?

Thanks!

I don't think you're to late.

[SarrissUK]

Have I left it too late to sow Butternut Squash and Pumpkins?

Thanks!

I hope not - I have to re-sow stuff that hasn't germinated

[Small pumpkin]

I'm growing these. I've not started sowing yet
courgette zucchini
Courgette Tromboncino
Pumpkin small sugar.
Pumpkin old boer white
Pumpkin Lil' Pump-ke-mom
Squash vegetable spaghetti.
Squash Galeux D'Eysines
Squash uchiki kuri
Squash Thelma sanders sweet potato
Squash summer sunburst f1
squash scallop mix
Cucumber femspot
Melon honeydew
melon gala
melon cantaloupe

A couple of alterations to my list.
Pumpkin old boer white, squash vegetable spaghetti and uchiki kuri failed to germinate.
Added courgette de nizza to my list.
To make up for my missing 3 I'm growing 3 squash scallop mix, 3 Tromboncino, 2 pumpkins small sugar and 2 surprise cucurbits that came up in the home made compost.
Just growing one of everything else except cucumber Femspot, growing 2 of them.

The 3 varieties of melon


My surprise cucurbits


2 Femspot cucumber


Indoor Tromboncino


Will take photos of the main squash & pumpkin beds when everything is a bit bigger. At the moment it looks like a few green lumps and a lot of bare earth.

[ameno]

The seed leaves shouldn't matter once true leaves start to develop, but the important thing is that there is a central bud to grow from. If that has shrivelled up you are in trouble.

Oh, I don't doubt they'll survive. Problem is, fewer leaves (just one at the moment) means slower growth, as they can't photosynthesise as much, and they are already behind as it is. With this, I suspect they won't catch up in time and will not produce fruit before the weather starts getting cold again.

[annie8]

Is there a reason to hold off sowing things like courgettes until now? I sowed mine in March I think as I thought it would give it a longer season.

[Super Sprout]

I don't think you're to late.

I hope not - I have to re-sow stuff that hasn't germinated

Thank you!

[ameno]

Is there a reason to hold off sowing things like courgettes until now? I sowed mine in March I think as I thought it would give it a longer season.

Courgettes don't need a longer season. If anything, sowing them early will only cause them to peter out early, whereas a late sowing will give you courgettes into early October.
The main reason, though, is that the young plants grow fast and it is too cold to plant them out until at least mid-May. Nights under about 9 degrees will halt their growth, and they'll just sit there not doing anything until things warm up. So even though plants planted out early may survive, they won't really actually get a head start on ones planted later.

I usually sow my courgettes and squashes in late April, but last year my first and second sowings didn't germinate, so in the end I didn't sow until about this time in May. They still grew well and gave a good crop.