Courgettes in pots

[Alice]

Hello Mel, my Courgettes have quite nice little fruits on - hope you can see them in the piccy. Its Gold Rush, planted the seed on 8th March in the house and went to the greenhouse 11th April so I'm very pleased with them given the weather has been so poor. Hope yours do great.

[KittyB]

Here is a pic of my baby courgettes (bit of an arty shot, as I was test-driving hubby's newish camera):

I can't remember the variety of courgette, but I was most intrigued by what looks like a double courgette growing. When should the plants flower in relation to the fruit ripening?

[Alice]

Courgettes do male and female flowers. The male flowers appear by themselves, are very pretty and produce nothing. You don't have to do anything about them except enjoy. The baby courgettes appear , grow quite slowly to start with then produce female flowers at their tips. Once these female flowers have appeared the courgettes will start to grow rapidly to eating size. The plant may shed these female flowers from the tips of the courgettes by itself but if not, remove them or the fruits will rot. Hope this helps.

[Mel]

Thanks for your Gold Rush piccie Alice. My plants are a little behind yours - I sewed them on 8th April. They currently have four large leaves each and a couple more coming so I don't think I'll see fruit for a few weeks yet.

[chillifreak]

Been growing courgettes in pots now for 3 years and still get the same yeild as the ones in my small veg patch

[dabbit]

I plant my courgettes in a pot about 12-14 inches across, they do spread across nicely...Anything smaller would be too small I think

[JennieAtkinson]

Great pics Alice. Mine are just sprouting out of the ground, I only thought it warm enough to sow them about 10 days ago. Do you keep your greenhouse heated when sowing them in March? You seem very well ahead.

Will Gold Rush last through the season, or do you grow another variety as well?

[Alice]

Hello Jennie, Yes the courgettes are doing great. Gold Rush is noted for being early. I planted them in March in 3" pots on the windowsill and they were there for a month. I then put them in 12" pots in the greenhouse which is insulated with bubble wrap. I do put a little heat in the greenhouse. I have an electric fan heater which I find efficient. I tried to keep the temp at about 7 overnight (the toms were out there too) which was only about raising the temp about 2 degrees. This was only for a few weeks as now the overnight temp outside is 8 - 11 degrees. I think we are much milder than you. The courgettes now have 6 fruits on and the female flowers are going past so will soon be eating size. The tumbling toms are outside and flowers are setting fruit. The Charlotte in the buckets and bins are starting to flower so overall very pleased. It's the first year I have really had time to take note of things and look after them properly. Don't know if Gold Rush will last through the season but will be noting it all and will keep you posted. Will post a pic of progress at the beginning of the week - but don't think I can rival your polytunnel. Just fab. Do let us know what you intend to grow in your greenhouse. Happy gardening.

[rofey72]

Hi there guys ....I am very new to this too but have dabbled in the market of Pot BUSH Courgettes this year. I have 2 in pots and 4 split between 2 gro bags and wondered what people think ??Having plantedon 1/5/06 Im at about the 6 leaf stage ?? Is this right or wrong?? Im trying to grow the One Ball variant of small round courgette?? I seem to have a bit of a problem with not slugs but wood lice ?? Is this common and and is there any reasonable solution?? I have now some tomato plants spring onion and the courgettes in pots and bags close to each other and should I keep them seperate in the garden or are they ok in one "area". Any help advice gratfully received...Dave

[adam connor]

my courgette orelia where planted out yesterday, having 1 inch yellow courgettes on. I also have bush courgettes to go in on the main plot. Does anyone know if rabbits eat courgettes and their plants?? as a precaution I have housed these surrrounded by netting as moved onto additional plot (having filled my proper veggie plot already)??

[SueA]

rofey72, Hi, I think your plants should all be fine close to each other as they are in pots & grow bags & not sharing the same soil. Woodlice aren't usually much of a problem as they tend to eat dead material but they might have a go at tiny shoots, if you move pots etc. around every so often they will move on as they like to settle under static pots.

[Mel]

Well a few days after posting to say that I thought I wouldn't see courgettes for another few weeks, I noticed I had four starting. They are now just under an inch long so still a long way off the harvesting stage. One of my other plants is just about to start fruiting I think as well.

One small problem I have is that some of the leaves are a bit yellow. Anyone know what might be causing this and how to deal with it please? I've fed them a seaweed feed but not used anything else on them so far. Wondering if they are potassium deficient.

[lyndap]

Dave, how big are your pots?Usually we only plant 1 into 12/14inch pots and even the bush ones try to escape(usually hold about 12litres of compost-the pots that is!)The courgettes we plant into the ground crop longer,but I always plant spares into pots and give to relatives and they apreciate the crop.

[leona]

i planted 2 plants outside and one in 2 tyres. all different varieties. the one in the tyres is looking much much stronger

[Alice]

That's my Gold Rush in a 12 inch pot. Planted it at the end of March so I'm very pleased with progress. Just about ready for eating. The leaves look a bit tattie but I put that down to weather damage as the plant is obviously thriving.