courgette sowing?

[janeyo]

Hi my gardening books and seed packet say sow end of april into pots, but have seen posts on here from people with them up already and ready to plant out.

Is it really too early to sow? Am in Cambs. I would pop them in cold frame and plant out when?

Also I hear they are prolific fruiters so I would prob only need one or 2 plants. Can I sucessional sow them, now and in a month say? Or will they still fruit at the same time?

Do I put 2 to a pot and get rid of the weak one or just one and hope it will be ok?

thanks, janeyo

[SimplyPotty]

hi janeyo, last year i planted courgettes early march and they were great but the weather was a lot better. I tried the same this year and they have just basically drowned! hardly any sun and too much rain. I've got some more seeds which I have planted 1 to a pot last week and put in unheated greenhouse. They don't always come thru together but don't worry some are late starters.

[heebiejeebie]

I sowed 3 today into 3" pots.

2 years ago we had 4 plants and got waaaay too many courgettes
last year we had 1 plant and didn't get enough
Each plant produces only 1 or 2 at a time.
If you have too many, you can let one or two become marrows.

[janeyo]

Thanks, I will sow 2 in 2 pots today, bung em in the cold frame and see what happens. I will still have time to sow some more.

janeyo

[si'sraisedbed]

I have a climbing courgette which I started about two weeks ago and it has just come through and is growing on quickly in the propagator. Should prob take it out of there now really. Tried the same variety last year and got nothing so will try trad variety this year too.

[janeyo]

I don't know why I am bothering with them really my 3ry old and OH don't like them. Unless it's soup. I am veggie so need ll the variety I cn get in my diet!

Am told they are easy to grow so thought I would give a few a whirl, can always donate some to friends and family!

j

[Cutecumber]

If the weather perks up and April is like last year, you'll be fine.

If it gets colder still, on the other hand...

Just wait and see, and keep some seeds back in case.

[Flummery]

Generally, if the packet says end of April, they'll do better at the end of April. You may get away with it, but plants sown at the right time grow away better, faster, stronger and don't struggle. Why make life hard for them?

[veg4681]

Thanks, I will sow 2 in 2 pots today, bung em in the cold frame and see what happens. I will still have time to sow some more.

janeyo

You can leave them on the window sill too if it's easier for you to check everyday. Careful not to rot the seeds with overwatering - I'm so rubbish I still do.

I had one plant and it produced more than enough to feed a family of 3 but it can be a hit and miss with courgette harvest, you get good year and bad year and last year was freak harvest for me. Also the problem with one plant is that, you don't get to harvest as baby courgettes as often as you like whereas if you have two or more, you can be more vulgar indulgent with their baby sized pickings.

[allotmentlady]

Mine are ready to go outside but I would keep them warm in the greenhouse for a while longer until it warms up and the threat of cold wet weather has passed us.
Good Luck.

[Paulottie]

Courgettes tend to get powdery mildew (normally when the weather is dry HAHA). I sow three times Beginning of April, May and June. (as a rule the frosts have passed by beginning of May here- for planting out the fist ones) It is shrewd to spread your season, especially as they are so productive - you really don't want to have 6 plants at once ...you'll hear them whispering 'Quick hide before she tries to unload some more of those courgettes on us!'

By the time the first lot get mildew the next lot will be coming in and so on.

As CuteC pointed out it is just a poor start to spring this year and I have not considered courgettes yet-Blimey I haven't got my spuds in yet. They really are a warm weather thing that don't much appreciate being checked by hanging around in pots too long. Panic not...You'll just have to wait until conditions improve.

[Paulottie]

Mine are ready to go outside but I would keep them warm in the greenhouse for a while longer until it warms up and the threat of cold wet weather has passed us.
Good Luck.

Streuth earlybird...try and find one of those bell cloches...Those big office water bottles from dispensers are ideal...or even the family sized squash bottles at a push.

[Eyren]

I haven't started mine yet - I'm going by the moon again this year, and mid-March would have been a bit too early, to my mind. They grow pretty fast, and I won't be putting them out until May at least...

Here's a tip I came across to reduce seed rotting, however - sow them on edge, so that water doesn't settle on top of the seed

[veg4681]

I sow three times Beginning of April, May and June. (as a rule the frosts have passed by beginning of May here- for planting out the fist ones) It is shrewd to spread your season, especially as they are so productive.

By the time the first lot get mildew the next lot will be coming in and so on.

Thanks, I was wondering if courgette was appropriate for successional sowing, just as well I've held off sowing all varieties in one go . I've pre-germinated a second courgette but have 2 more variety that I will save for April and then May sowing. Last year May's sowing only started giving me harvest from August onwards (then again it was lousy growing year) but I found Aug a bit late for my liking.

[Cutecumber]

Even just two sowings could cover the whole summer and into autumn with a bit of luck.

Sometimes you can harvest from one plant successfully for literally months (2-3 months), although it depends on the soil and the weather. If you sow successionally, you just pull one plant out when it gets a bit slow (they will sometimes pause production, but can be encouraged to recover if you wait) so you should get a more even continuous harvest.

That's the theory, anyway.