Marrows - top tips

[VirginVegGrower]

Hi all - tried with marrows last year and failed to get them past the 2-3" fruit stage. What guidance can you all give please?

Thanks in advance.

[taff]

lots of feed, lots of water, not on the stem, lots of sun if you can get it

[taff]

lots of feed being manure or something like that

[Aberdeenplotter]

A barrow load of fym per plant is a good start but don't plant directly in to that, Allow the roots to find their own way into the fym which helps hold moisture as well as provide nutrients. If you are looking to produce big marrows but not gigantic ones, try a variety like long green trailing. Once the fruit has set, stop each shoot a couple of leaves beyond the last fruit. Try to have them in full light and make sure that they are kept moist not wet. Hope that helps.

[Two_Sheds]

If your fruits were 2" and failed, they probably weren't pollinated: don't start them too early

[sewer rat]

I grew Courgette Ambassador last year and the fruits on that developed into quite large marrows (this is a variety that allows this without the fruit turning bad). However, this year I am growing two plants of Medwyn Williams Giant Marrow, both of which will be in my polytunnel. The planting area is already prepared with a lot of horse manure dug in about three weeks ago. The plants are in my heated propagator (two true leaves each plant) in 1 litre pots and will be grown on through the pot sizes until the weather sorts itself out and the night time temps settle down a bit. The advice for these huge specimens is two fruits only per plant - 1 on the main stem and 1 on a side shoot. All other fruits to be removed. Also cushion the fruits on a bed of straw.
I know the variety Table Dainty can be trained up a trellis and then along lateral supports so that the fruits hang down to stop any damage from leaves etc biut again this is for exhibition purposes,