Bent Courgette Seedlings

[marninator80]

Hi, i'm quite new to all this and this is my first year growing seeds and planting out fruit and veg on my allotment.

My courgette seedlings were doing really well, came up really big and then the next night half of them had bent over. I assume this is because the leaves became too heavy for the stem.

My question is, is there anything that can be done to help/revive them as the leaves have started to look a bit funny round the edges??

[bario1]

They are probably bent over because they are reaching for a directional light source - are they on a window sill? Just give the pots a half turn and they'll bend back again.

[Scarlet]

Are they in the house? It sounds as if they aren't getting enough light and a little too much heat.
Have you got somewhere cooler to grow them on that is frost free? Do they need potting on yet? You could pot them deep.

[bretty666]

hello..welcome.to the vine..a couple of my pumpkins did this and when i pulled them up to replace them with healthy spares i had ..i found a big fat grub had eaten the roots? could this be a possibility in your case..if you fancy eliminating the possibility you could dig one out and inspect the roots??

[Scarlet]

I'm assuming these plants are in pots indoors? A little cold for courgettes to be outside at the moment

[messygarden]

Yeah it is cold there for courgettes and not enough light inside... Just keep them on the windowsill and turn them around few times a day. I sow them mid May i found it is the safest and easiest as they come up quite quick and then i can plant them outside right away

[marninator80]

Hi thanks for the replies.

I have them in a propagator, lid off in my polytunnel. I was going to pot them on tomorrow to see if that helped them. They are definately getting plenty of light from where my polytunnel is positioned. Just thought it was strange as not all of them have gone like this?!

[fishpond]

For all those non-believers

[Scarlet]

I'm not a non believer but courgettes are tender plants and we haven't seen the last of the frosts yet. Sometimes it's possible to get away with planting out early but it can often lead to a waste time and effort when it doesn't pay off. I've have on occasion planted out early but it's much harder work to keep the frost off and they often don't crop much earlier.

[fishpond]

"they often don't crop much earlier"
We will see.

[SarrissUK]

That plant looks huge! Mine are much smaller.. but I know I have more plants than I need for the two of us and considering the glut that is coming, I'm happy to not get courgettes too early lol

[Scarlet]

Hi thanks for the replies.

I have them in a propagator, lid off in my polytunnel. I was going to pot them on tomorrow to see if that helped them. They are definately getting plenty of light from where my polytunnel is positioned. Just thought it was strange as not all of them have gone like this?!

What was your lowest temperatures in your tunnel last night? It could have been the cold that made them flop.

[Kristen]

For all those non-believers

You're in Hampshire though - 'tis a bit different to "Up North"

"Bend over" is probably not enough light

"Flopped over" is either too much water, or too little.

"Over night" sounds more like Flopped Over rather than Bent Over to me - but a photo would help

[Snadger]

Water them with a Viagra mix..........that should do the trick!

[Two_Sheds]

I have them in a propagator, lid off in my polytunnel.

Where are you, and what're your night temps in the PT?

it's hard to tell what you mean without a photo