Grow Your Own Magazine

hi folks

have just bought a couple of courgette plants they are about 4 inches tall at the mo. Any special hints or tips about planting out would be appreciated, I am not sure how big they will end up or whether they grow upwards or outwards ! Are they better in the ground or a big pot ??

thanks
Littlewin

Where are you keeping them at the moment? Do you have a greenhouse, do you have an allotment? They really are better in open ground but can be grown in large (at least 12") pots if you have nowhere else. However don't put your babies straight into a 12" pot as the volume of wet compost will overwhelm them and cause them to rot. What size pot are they in at the moment? Will get back to you later.

If you have the space they are better in the ground, and they grow outwards! I grow green and yellow varieties and they normally get to about three-four feet long - I plant them in the garden and let 'em romp, they usually end up covering the pathway and we have to climb over them Also, I sink a fizzy drink bottle with the bottom removed, upsidedown next to them, and use the to water them - gets the water to the roots.
Good luck with yours...

__________________
Cheers
Marion
--------------------------------------------
A smile costs nothing but gives much
Gardening requires a lot of water... most of it in the form of perspiration.

Check out this thread courgettes in tubs about using pots.

Also, I think when you plant them you try to plant them in a mound of soil rather than level with the surface - I think this helps the water go straight to the roots.

__________________
"A cat sees no good reason why it should obey another animal, even if it does stand on two legs."

hi there

I have planted them out in the garden about 60cm apart and put one of those large cloche greenhouse covers over the top to protect them from wind. They were in small pots to begin with, I have just checked on them and they seem okay so far ...

Will keep you posted.

I'd be inclined to give them a little more space - I say this from bitter experience as I planted my courgettes about 50 cm apart last year and found that one just overwhelmed the other! It might be worth digging one up and replanting it a bit further on.

Also be wary of the slugs as they have a habit of chewing through the stem at ground level. I noticed several on the lottie this morning that were just blowing around without their roots (not mine).

Ian