[Fluffywelshsheep]

ok if they are withering are getting another minerals/water do they need to have a feed?

Linz

[egbert]

According to Hessayon -

Withering of young fruit  (stop growing when they are only a few inches long and withering spreads back from the tip) has many possible causes, such as draughts, heavy pruning, using fresh farmyard manure. Most likely reason is faulty root action due to poor drainage, over watering, poor soil preparation.  Remove damaged fruit and spray with a foliar feed, withhold water and ventilate the greenhouse, but keep floor damp as usual.

Maintain steady growth by careful watering.

I had withered cucumbers to start with a few weeks ago (also part of the cucurbit family) which was because they were in a pot with no drainage. I drilled holes in the bottom and let loads of water out, and today ate my first cucumber, very sweet and juicy. 

[lazybee]

As has been said in other posts, I find the first ones rot back. I think this is down to the the lack of foraging insects early on in the season. Bees etc need to find the plants first then they make regular visits, also the male/female flowers are out of balance. In a week or two, you will need a wheel barrow to collect them. Turn your back for five minutes and you'll have two foot marrows!

[KerryA1]

Really stupid question, but this is my first year with courgettes and squash.

When are they ready for picking? Is it when the flowers die off? Or, do they keep growing after this and you just wait till they reach the size you want?

[Greenerlife]

Every year I say that I will pick my courgettes when they are the size of my middle finger.  Every year I pick them when they are the size of my arm. 

[Wizard]

No wish to appear offensive Kerry But surely those on display in the supermarket or at a Farmers Market should I think be about right. If you leave them longer to grow they will become Vegatable Marrows Which in my opinion is great veg: stuffed

[Fluffywelshsheep]

At what ever stage as long as they are longer than you longest finger.

[KerryA1]

No wish to appear offensive Kerry But surely those on display in the supermarket or at a Farmers Market should I think be about right. If you leave them longer to grow they will become Vegatable Marrows Which in my opinion is great veg: stuffed

The ones in my local shops are huge, while mine are still fairly small so I thought I'd ask as, until now everyone has been very friendly and helpful. Sorry if my being a newbie with no experience annoys you.

[Wizard]

Did you read, did you understand.The first sentence in my reply?This is what happens.Thin skinned people who take um bridge when advice freely given doesn't agree with the expected answer.If they are larger than I think 6/7" They are becoming baby marrows

[northfifeduckling]

Kerry, you'll get used to Wizard eventually , he's quite nice really, just don't take anything personally

[Wizard]

Thanks NFD I am sure I offered in the first 6 words in the post that seems to upset her ? Ah well I cannot please all the people all the time but I tell you what I can please my self and bugger off and do other things.Like get organized for the steam rally and pretend I'm extra thin skinned and the blood is leaking out George is thinking this is it worth the hassle?

[northfifeduckling]

This is just one of those things with email and on-line banter. You don't see the other person and what we write can be interpreted wrongly sometimes. TAS are a really nice bunch as a whole although sometimes the blood does boil when we discuss things close to our heart
I wish I had any courgettes! I was away so see mum for a couple of weeks and OH did not pollinate in the greenhouse. I'll have to make space to plant them out now and let the insects do the job...

[northfifeduckling]

they have all now been planted outdoors and I still have the same problem, despite the paintbrush!! I have either only male flowers, then only female on al 6 plants at the same time! then the females go off - what is it with the timing, do they hate me???

[Fleecewife]

Maybe they suspect what you intend to do with them when they grow big 

[Mickyork]

I have a couple of courgette plants which have half a dozen 4 inch courgettes on now. When I first planted them out they only bore male flowers I started pulling them off as they was ready to open. I lost the first 2 female. They also went yellow. I was told to let a couple of male flowers open & then remove the day after. I did this & have a good supply of courgette on the plants now. If any more male show I remove them as soon as I can see they are male