A couple of courgette questions

[21again]

Some of the bottom leaves on my courgette (all green bush variety) have had chunks taken out by slugs and some have gone yellow. Is it ok to cut these off or best to just leave them?

Also, a couple of courgettes are about 4" long which I have read is a decent size to cut them off. The only thing is they aren't dark green yet, maybe a daft question but if I cut them off when pale do they ripen like tomatoes ie go darker if I leave them for a day or so?

Ta!

[sewer rat]

Some of the bottom leaves on my courgette (all green bush variety) have had chunks taken out by slugs and some have gone yellow. Is it ok to cut these off or best to just leave them?

Also, a couple of courgettes are about 4" long which I have read is a decent size to cut them off. The only thing is they aren't dark green yet, maybe a daft question but if I cut them off when pale do they ripen like tomatoes ie go darker if I leave them for a day or so?

Ta!

Not familiar with this variety myself so can't comment as regards colour of the fruits. As regards the leaves - if they have turned yellow, they are no longer serving any useful purpose, so can be removed if you so wish. If the plant has a lot of other foliage it should be okat to remove lower leaves with slug damage, but that means the slugs will move onto a fresh leaf and so the cycle continues .......

[21again]

Thanks Sewer Rat, I shall cut them off tomorrow.

At least the ones above the yellow ones are raised up off the compost so they will have to crawl up the prickly stem to get to the leaves.

[terrier]

They will just eat through the prickly stem then eat te leaves as they fall to the ground I swear the slugs in my garden come equipped with chain saws!

[kerryp]

what purpose do slugs actually serve? i swear they are attacking EVERYTHING im growing this year... my mission is to kill them all! theyve attacked my 1st courgettes the buggers.

[ginger ninger]

I have 2 resident toads, 1 in the green house, 1 in the raised bed and they both love slugs .....but they also like my worm's .... but whats a few worms compared to lots of SLUGS, haven't a clue where the toads came from though

[queequay]

Slugs

Apparently putting crushed egg shells down will help as the slugs wont cross them. Havent had a slug problem as yet so not actualy tried it but its ment to work.

[21again]

theyve attacked my 1st courgettes the buggers.

Sorry, not laughing at the fact that they have eaten your courgettes it's "the buggers" bit that tickled me.