Courgette help please

[Novice Gardener]

I picked up some courgette plants today that were FREE from the local garden centre - its an independant one and when I asked why they were free the woman said its because they looked a bit poorley but should recover with a bit of TLC, anyway, not wanting to be greedy, I took two of the plants. Both are in flower, but only one seems to have both female and male flowers - is there something I need to do to encourage the female flowers to grow? Also both plants have leaves that are very pale - almost silvery in colour - I presume this is because of a lack of nutrients of some sort - any idea on what I should feed them with?

[Alice]

Hello Novice Gardener. Feed your courgettes with whatever suits you.
If you have male flowers (they usually come first) the female flowers will be along right behind them and the courgettes will appear rapidly. Once the fruits are seen I feed them with tomato feed (choose the one that suits you). Good luck.

[Novice Gardener]

Thanks Alice, I do love a bargain

[Pootle]

I've used organic chicken manure when planting out and then would use liquid seaweed to feed again if needed - but you'll probably find that your plants romp away once they're in the ground and won't need anything else! Good luck

[gojiberry]

You need to get them planted out or into bigger pots as it sounds very much that your courgettes are lacking enough room for their roots. When you plant them on use something like chicken pellets or gromore. They do need as much room as you can give them and are greedy feeders.

Ian

[Two_Sheds]

If the leaves are silver, they may have Powdery Mildew

[Alison]

Make sure that they get plenty of water and food and they'll soon be up and running.

[Demeter]

The leaves on mine have gone a bit pale/silvered as they've grown. I assumed this is just normal(ish) as the plants look healthy and are producing well.
?

[markwcel]

our leaves silvered too....ageing process i imagine

[realfood]

Some varieties do have silvery leaves.

[veggiewomble]

My courgettes have older leaves which have yellowed, and many seem to be silvery too - I am wondering if it IS mildew in my case. What do I do if my courgettes are mildewed - any way of saving them?

[Demeter]

My courgettes have older leaves which have yellowed, and many seem to be silvery too - I am wondering if it IS mildew in my case. What do I do if my courgettes are mildewed - any way of saving them?

Hessayon says (I've been looking stuff up in Hessayon all day today - planning autumn and next year ) under Cucurbit troubles: "POWDERY MILDEW: Leaves and stems are covered with white powdery patches. This disease occurs outdoors in a warm dry summer and under glass. It is encouraged by dry soil combined with a moist atmosphere."

Does that sound like yours? (lucky you - the summer hasn't been warm and dry here...) If so: "Treatment: Spray with carbendazim at the first signs of disease. Prevention: Keep the soil moist at all times and ventilate adequately under glass."

Some more experienced grapes may be able to suggest alternative treatments to carbendazim (whatever that is) if you don't feel like spraying... - or try Google

[Two_Sheds]

Or look at the Powdery Mildew thread