1st time courgette grower looking for advice

[scouser4life]

hello my names Laura I'm a first time courgette grower erm my courgettes have started coming out there about the same length as some body's middle finger so only baby's but a few of the flower heads have fell off the courgette's and it dosent look like there growing as one of them are thick at the base then go thin at the end i don't know weather they will grow if the flower has fell off can anyone help me ?

[VirginVegGrower]

They need water regularly directed around the plant - are they getting it? They are a cucurbit and would benefit from tomato feed.

A photo would help better identify the problem.

[scarey55]

Hello Laura and welcome to the Vine
Your courgettes will certainly carry on growing once the flower has gone - that is just for pollination and they all fall off eventually. I don't know why they should be thin at one end but I'm sure they will be fine. Courgettes have a habit of starting off badly and improving as the plant gets bigger so, don't panic - I'm sure all will be well.

[Snadger]

I get quite a few strangely shaped courgettes all the time. Just make sure you keep picking them to encourage others to form!

Don't worry about whether they have flowers on or if they have dropped off. A single day, at this time of year can turn a fingerling into a very sizeable courgette.

[Florence Fennel]

Hello Laura, Scarey and VVG have given you good advice, just follow it and be patient. Welcome to the Vine. Hope we see you often. I would take a well educated guess that you're from Merseyside, so put your location into your profile so we don't forget and we don't have to guess what your growing conditions are like.

[mrpaulbradley]

put your location into your profile so we don't forget and we don't have to guess what your growing conditions are like.

Yip welcome to the vine and yes folks on here do take note of your location and temper their advice to ones growing conditions.
In my own case, I have none
Rain, cloud, no sunshine, and rain with the occasional break for drizzle.
I'm dooooooooomed (but even courgettes are growing! You will not fail with them, keep the faith )

[mrscorpio]

My first 2 or 3 courgettes this year were fat near the stump and thin at the flower end. They started to rot at the flower end after a few days. I put this down to these not being pollinated. When they started to show signs of rot I cut them off and composted them.

I am now getting a regular supply of courgettes and still get the odd one that has not been pollinated. You will soon know what to look for.

Just in case you dont know - The flowers with the courgette growing behind them are the female, and the flowers just on a stem are the male. As your plants grow you find a better mix of flowers at the same time, so enabling the bees to do their work.

[scouser4life]

thankyou guys and girls these messages have been really helpful i have 2 courgettes that are looking promising all the others are still fat at the base and thin at the end where do i cut them off in order for more to grow ?

[Two_Sheds]

I pull and twist, but you're not meant to

[Newton]

Your meant to twist and shout in Liverpool...........

[JamesM]

I get quite a few strangely shaped courgettes all the time. Just make sure you keep picking them to encourage others to form!

Hopefully i'm phrasing this in a way that will make sense- is it worth picking off small little courgettes tht have just formed in order to stimulate more growth from the plant, particularly if I know i won't be needing a courgette for a few days and bearing in mind how quickly they grow?

[zazen999]

James - yes. I pick all mine at 4 inches if I can and whilst your back is turned the next one will be twice that. The more you pick the more that grow. If you leave them to get big that's when the plant starts to slow down.

[HeyWayne]

You have to be vigilant - last year (or maybe it was the year before) I had two monsters suddenly appear. One was 8lbs in weight, and it's little brother was about 7lbs I think.

I've had some right Ann Summers courgettes this year, but they all taste delish.

[j r hilton]

I have six courgette plants growing in tubs and am picking one or two coutgettes evey day. I will away from home for two weeks soon and I am worried what I may find on my return. Marrows???

[scouser4life]

thanks for all the help you guys but i still need to know where about you put them once there ready because i think i cut one too far back and the stem has started to rot bearing in mind this was my 1st fruit and i had to cut it early because it was deformed so i do hope i have cut it right x