errrr...what do I do now.....courgettes?

[giggler]

ok, so I rather stupidly bought small courgette, cucumber and squash plants from b&q recently....they were bargains....only 78p and i didnt have any plans to grow them this year. They have been lovingly cared for in my kitchen window and are growing like weeds! This morning though I noticed that the courgette has got 3 flower buds coming already. The plant is about 8 inches tall with about 8 leaves getting larger and larger. I know its too early to stick these outside yet and i only have a small 4 shelved mini greenhouse thingy. Can I put it in there now to give it more room to grow but protect it a bit, or is it still going to be too cold in there. Or can i remove these flowers, then will it produce more? I knew it was going to get big quick but i really didnt realise it would start fruiting at this early stage!

Thanks guys x

[zazen999]

Nooooooo

They can't go out until Mid May. Ish.

That's another 8 weeks.

Best start charging em rent. They are gonna take over anyway....

I'd get big pots [morrisons do 8 for 99p if you have one local], some good compost, pot them in those and hope to goodness that you can contain them somewhat!

Most of the flowers will drop off if they aren't pollinated, so worry about keeping them alive first!

[FionaH]

Dare I suggest the compost bin and start again in a bit?

[Kristen]

ok, so I rather stupidly bought small courgette, cucumber and squash plants from b&q recently

I don't think you were stupid, but I do think B & Q and garden centres should be shot for taking a quick-profit selling such things this early.

Take them back and ask for your money back ... give them a link to this thread if they ask any questions, plenty of people here who can explain to them how completely inappropriate it is.

[Newton]

I'm a newbie but when I saw them in B&Q last month I was staggered too. Having grown them from seed last year and been too early to plant out in my eagerness to get going I had a similar problem. Don't they grow quickly......

I like the idea of putting the stores under some pressure not to exploit new growers in this fashion.

Hugh FW. Are you reading this or do we have our own Hugh on the forum.....a celeb always helps here. Titchmarsh should have a word at the very least........maybe we have a guerrilla graffiti raid on BQ across the country and draw bubble messages from all his cutouts!

[Two_Sheds]

Take them back and ask for your money back ...

I would definitely do that. Get a credit note for some April ones that will have half a chance of surviving

[Dane End Dolly]

I am disgusted at B&Q for taking advantage of people lack of knowledge in growing times, they are trying to make themselves more friendly to the gardener and attract custom but then show themselves to be the awful company that they are. I am sorry that you have wasted your money and truly go to somewhere like wilkinsons or lidl's and get a pack of seads for about the same mony, you will have a better chance sowing them in April and then having healthy plants.

Good luck on your growing this year

[Kristen]

I am disgusted at B&Q for taking advantage of people

Ermm ... not just them. My local Wyevale is the same. I haven't been to the local Homebase recently, is that any better?

Are there any Shed-Chains that sell plants that do not have tender-plants on sale ridiculously early?

[Florence Fennel]

It's a shame that you were duped into buying these so early and I hope that you can pot them up and keep them going until they can go outside. It's a lesson you've learned the hard way. I wouldn't take them back, but I would write to B&Q to complain and quote the advice on growing courgettes from here, you might get a voucher as some kind of recompense.

[Two_Sheds]

Are there any Shed-Chains that sell plants that do not have tender-plants on sale ridiculously early?

Our local B&Q has started to put up handwritten signs to say 'these are tender, protect from frost' That was busy lizzies in January I think

[jackie j]

All garden centres around here have plug plants for sale far too early shame on them, they know most people wont know how to look after them and then the customer goes back for more when the time is right.

[Flummery]

Mad, innit? I won't be sowing till April because I know I can't protect them - greenhouse is always stuffed in spring!

[Davyburns]

our local independant nursery/garden centre (Silverhills) has always been very responsible this way, never selling anything til the proper time. - They went bust last October

[Jono]

Its wrong that they're trying to make a quick buck out of the increasing GYO market. Plenty of people will buy those plants and become demoralised when they die. It'll end up putting loads of people off, or costing them twice as much.

[giggler]

Hi all

Thanks for the replys, I think I'll put it down to experience. I had no intention of growing these at all although I'm having a go at growing most other things this year, so not planning to grow them, meant i hadn't 'swotted' up on planting times etc. I'll try to keep potting them on and protect from frost but if they die they die I supose.

x