The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: Wouldbesmallholder on July 22, 2013, 12:09:34 pm

Title: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Wouldbesmallholder on July 22, 2013, 12:09:34 pm
I have two huge yellow courgette plants, they both have a huge number of fruit, but they seem to get to about 2" long then go dark yellow to orange and seem to die. I have kept them well watered on a daily basis. Any ideas?

Thanks
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Ina on July 22, 2013, 06:33:12 pm
No ideas - but mine are doing the same.
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: MikeM on July 22, 2013, 07:12:55 pm
bizarrely enough I have also noticed this (normally have the opposite problem) though mine haven't rotted yet. I think I will pick them and see if this encourages more fruiting. Good job I'm not really mad keen on courgette.
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Fleecewife on July 22, 2013, 09:51:16 pm
It happens when they haven't been pollinated.  The easiest way around that is to take a male flower with plenty of pollen, tear off the petals and push the sticky-up bit that's left into the hole bit of the female flower and wriggle it around.   I'm sure you can use your imagination here  ::)   When there is plenty of pollen you can tap it in.
One male flower will do a couple of female flowers.  Both need to be at the right stage, so the male with plenty of visible pollen, the female fresh and unfaded but fully open.
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Lesley Silvester on July 22, 2013, 10:06:19 pm
See you can be romantic when you try, FW.  :roflanim:
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Wouldbesmallholder on July 23, 2013, 12:18:53 pm
Male flowers being the ones that don't fruit, correct?
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Fleecewife on July 23, 2013, 12:48:23 pm
Yes, there's no small fruit behind the flower in males, and inside the flower is a bit different too.
 
 
 
See you can be romantic when you try, FW.  :roflanim:

Ohhh yes  :eyelashes: :eyelashes:
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Wouldbesmallholder on July 23, 2013, 05:06:06 pm
Yes, there's no small fruit behind the flower in males, and inside the flower is a bit different too.
 
 
 
See you can be romantic when you try, FW.  :roflanim:

Ohhh yes  :eyelashes: :eyelashes:

Have I just had a "the birds and the bees" talk about courgettes  :-[
 :roflanim:
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Ina on July 23, 2013, 05:15:25 pm

Have I just had a "the birds and the bees" talk about courgettes  :-[
 :roflanim:

Yes, you have! :)

So they produce some fruit - albeit small - even without pollination? Interesting. Well, we have had a lack of pollinators - although I've had some bees in my garden since the phacelia started flowering, so maybe it'll be better in future.
Title: Re: Stunted Courgettes
Post by: Lesley Silvester on July 24, 2013, 04:52:54 pm

See you can be romantic when you try, FW.  :roflanim:

Ohhh yes  :eyelashes: :eyelashes:

 :innocent: :roflanim: