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Author Topic: Stunted Courgettes  (Read 4511 times)

Wouldbesmallholder

  • Joined Jan 2013
Stunted Courgettes
« 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

Ina

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • South Aberdeenshire
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2013, 06:33:12 pm »
No ideas - but mine are doing the same.

MikeM

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • NW Devon
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #2 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.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #3 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.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2013, 10:06:19 pm »
See you can be romantic when you try, FW.  :roflanim:

Wouldbesmallholder

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2013, 12:18:53 pm »
Male flowers being the ones that don't fruit, correct?

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #6 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:
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Wouldbesmallholder

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #7 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:

Ina

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • South Aberdeenshire
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #8 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.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Stunted Courgettes
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2013, 04:52:54 pm »

 

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