Courgettes

[Kimbo]

I am growing my courgettes this year in morrison buckets (26m x 26cm). They are at the 4 leaf stage now and some are getting very leggy - is it too early to put them in their final buckets? I would be keeping them in my plastic greenhouses for the next couple of weeks just in case.

Sorry about clarity of photo had to use mobile phone as couldnt find batteries for my camera

[vicki lorraine]

Hi Kim
your seedlings are looking good.
You can pot them on and keep them inside for a while
Mine are still in the small pots but will need to be potted on this weekend. I will be planting mine outside at the end of the month.

[Vegmonkey]

Morrisons buckets are fantastic - am still trying to find something to cover them with to make them pretty. I sowed my courgettes - Tondo di piacenza (round!) straight into the ground at the start of May, and they are just starting to appear.

Next year i will definately sow some in the mini-greenhouse to plant out towards the end of May as a back up, as not sure how my direct planted ones will do.

[Paulottie]

What's a 'morrison bucket' please?

[Kimbo]

Morrisons sell off their flower buckets 8 for 99p

[Alice]

Kimbo, your courgettes are looking good. They don't look leggy, courgettes just grow like that. In case you don't know, when you plant them on just plant them to the depth they are at now, and not up to the seed leaves as you might do with other plants, or the stems might rot.

[Kimbo]

Kimbo, your courgettes are looking good. They don't look leggy, courgettes just grow like that. In case you don't know, when you plant them on just plant them to the depth they are at now, and not up to the seed leaves as you might do with other plants, or the stems might rot.

Hi Alice

Oops looks like I might lose a couple then. I have only potted on two (the ones with the longest stems) and potted them up the stem a bit but not up to the leaves.

Do you think they will still rot?

[Alice]

Kimbo, if you keep the compost fairly dry till they settle in they might be fine.
I hope so. Good luck.

[madderbat]

Can I hijack this thread slightly please? I have got several courgettes on the go and am delighted as we love them. My problem is that I know they have male and female flowers, but i don't know the difference...... I know nature has managed perfectly well on it's own for a few thousand millenia, but do I need to pollinate them, and how?

There will be about six plants outside at the end of the month, on top of a bucket of well rotted oss poo. Apart from watering them well, what else do I need to do to get a good crop?
Thanks everyone

[TEB]

Shouldnt be any need to pollinate - I have never had to.
They like lots of water and if you have planted in pre composted soil there isnt much else to do except to make a hugh list of people that you are going to force hundereds upon hundreds of courgettes on, the first year I started off with 4 plants - the next 2 and this year its 1 only - any friends we had stopped coming round in year 1 and pretend we they are out when we come knocking

Ps they might like a tomato type feed every now and again but it really depends on soil type (mine they do).

PS they make a fantastic courgette souffle and the daughter once made a courgette and peanut soup which to keep the peace we said was nice

[Flummery]

The thing to do to get a big crop is keep using them. The more you cut off the more you get. If you miss one (it's SO easy to!) it will be a marrow before you've got back into the kitchen!

[Cutecumber]

I had a few problems getting fruit to set in previous years, so I tried a parthenocarpic variety (self-fertile) - they seemed to give me a better crop last year so I've sown them again. Every fruit which started became a usable courgette.

I'll try a late crop of something ordinary, to try and redress the "natural balance"

[madderbat]

Thanks for the advice, I'll stop worrying.
All I have to do know is find a break in the weather to plant them (although the temp forecast is 6C overnight, so perhaps I'll keep them in the garden on the benches for a bit).