Whats happened to my courgettes?

[tdm86]

What do I do??? I thought it maye like peas so used a nitrogen rich nettle fertilizer. Then i cut the bad ones off but now its terrible & crop is rubbish!

[vikkib]

Looks like it might be powdery mildew, tdm.

Have a google and see if that matches how your plants are looking.

[rustylady]

That looks like powdery mildew.

I take it your plant is in a pot - if so you need to make sure it has enough water.

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

A few of mine have been covered in it, still inundating me with courgettes though. Think mine are a bit close together.

[chilli_grower]

I had that on mine, and just left it be, it did not affect the amount of courgettes...

[marchogaeth]

Spray with milk and water.
http://www.growveg.com/growblogpost.aspx?id=242

or sodium bicarbonate and oil http://www.growveg.com/growblogpost.aspx?id=242 - I just used sunflower or rapeseed cooking oil.

They have both worked for me but you need the husbandry putting right as well - water and ventilation.

[solway cropper]

Mine always end up covered in powdery mildew but I just leave them. It doesn't seem to make any difference to the crop.....just looks awful.

Living in west Cumbria they ain't short of water and ventilation!

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Mine are perhaps a little cosier than they should be, but plenty of the wet and windy and they are in the ground. Having said that the plants that are dotted about on their own have been unaffected.

[flopsy59]

mine are like that but haven't affected how many courgettes i'm getting. i just leave them alone

[esbo]

i had it last year but it did not affect the courgette, don't have it this year and the courgette is very small!!

[marchogaeth]

Living in west Cumbria they ain't short of water and ventilation!

I find they are such big plants that they can create their own micro climate both within and around the leaves so that ventilation can be compromised even out doors.

[taff]

Leave the leaves on.

[Two_Sheds]

I ... used a nitrogen rich nettle fertilizer.

It's powdery mildew, as the others have rightly said. Nothing to do with the nettle feed.

However:

peas & courgettes are "fruiting" plants, so they want a high potash feed really.

High nitrogen gives you good leafy growth, eg brassicas, chard

[Bill HH]

Mildew is a curse for me,it devastated my courgettes,peas and cucumbers in 2011, last year i didnt grow any of those hoping a break might clear it up. But today I have noticed it all over the courgettes, the cucumbers seem ok as i grew a mildew resistant variety. As for leaving it alone, it kills my plants stone dead despite all the known cures. Just thought I would cheer you up.