Author Topic: Pumpkin and Courgette Problems (Read 4364 times)

melodrama · « **on:** July 24, 2011, 10:40:50 pm »

This year is the second year that I've tried growing pumpkins - the first year I planted from seeds and one plant grew, when I saw it had lovely flowers on it I thought wayhay pumpkin soup but nothing else happened other than the flowers rotting.

This year I bought plants (4) and planted them and they are doing very well, each plant has a number of different flowers on them. Some have nothing behind the flower and some have a large round bit behind the flower. I have had my brush out and have tried to "tickle" the flowers to help pollination which is what I think I should have done the first year but didn't. Am I doing the right thing? Are the ones with the round bit behind (which look like the beginnings of a pumpkin) likely to be pollinated if they have the round bit?? I love pumpkins so much but not sure when I would start to see something orange growing. Help please.

Also my courgettes - never planted them before but have 8 plants which again all seem to be flowering well, some of them have what looks like a courgette behind the flower and again I thought wayhay (you see the theme, I get overexcited!) but on one of these, the flower fell off and the courgette bit looks like it is dying. Is that a courgette? I appreciate any help, as do my children who love their courgette and pumpkin soups in the winter x x x

Hermit · « **Reply #1 on:** July 25, 2011, 10:31:24 am »

Yes the bits behind the female flowers are the courgette or pumpkin. Sometimes the odd one dies and rots on the plant but they should be thriving. If the leaves look good I would be patient but make sure they have a good airflow around them, it could be rot caused by stagnant wet air, botrytis. If you can get hold of the Veg Expert by Hessayon it has a good trouble shooting section.

melodrama · « **Reply #2 on:** July 25, 2011, 11:25:57 am »

Thank you so much, I'll get the book to have a nosy at and in the meantime I'll just leave them alone! It has been quite wet up here which may explain it. Wonder if I should cover them up a bit

suziequeue · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2011, 01:13:54 pm »

My main courgette probelm is SLUGS

Or something is eating them!!!

I have put straw around the base and will put some pellets out this evening I think but - anybody got any ideas?

I am worried that straw around the bases might encourage rotting and botrytis if it gets damp and starts to fester (although we are foreacast a dry wek this week

)

yankieGirl · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2011, 07:29:54 pm »

Vine bore is my trouble!

Nice vines, squash forming and maturing...then before you can blink any eye, the vine is dying and the squash is deflating!

I have operated on a few and cut out the worm. But I'm usually too late.

little blue · « **Reply #5 on:** July 25, 2011, 07:41:20 pm »

Quote from: suziequeue on July 25, 2011, 01:13:54 pm

SLUGS - anybody got any ideas?

use sharp grit, copper or crushed egg shells around the base of the plants... slugs don't like the sharpness on their bellies!
And it'll keep the courgette plants drier

pottsie · « **Reply #6 on:** July 26, 2011, 12:30:28 am »

I use a base of old straw and break egg shells around the bottoms of the plants, seems to stop the problem. I also had a few of my initial courgettes go of but i cant keep up with them now, so they should be fine. Pumpkins like all squash take a while longer than the courgettes.

Rob.

ellied · « **Reply #7 on:** July 26, 2011, 11:53:44 am »

Slugs got all my courgettes the week they were planted out

I'll remember the eggshells for next year

deepinthewoods · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2011, 02:19:42 pm »

i sow a variety called romanesco which is a bit more spiny than other types, the slugs dont like them and the prickles just rub off on your jeans. the taste is to die for as well.