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How do I get a courgette glut?

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  • #1

    How do I get a courgette glut?

    Seriously. I love love love courgettes. I can eat one a day for weeks on end.

    Last year I grew most of them in pots and so didn't get that many, 2-3 a week from 4 plants.

    So this year, I set out for a bumper courgette madness. 5 plants in the ground, with horse manure, some commercial fresh compost then some blood fish and bone for good measure.

    We have picked 6 courgettes.

    I NEED a glut

    Come on people, give me some tips. I've got 6 summer squashes as a backup but nothing from those either.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    What you need is heat and water, I reckon.
    Whooops - now what are the dogs getting up to?

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    • #3
      What you need is to stop wanting them to grow.

      They are very sensitive to this, and will ignore all attempts to egg them on.

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      • #4
        Ours (my neighbour and I have 12 plants between us) they haven't really been watered much at all: the plants are small but fruiting well.
        I have 7 courgettes in the fridge, and I just know there'll be another 7 to cut tomorrow.


        edit: they've now had 2 weeks of rain and are growing huge: leaves the size of dalek lids
        Last edited by Two_Sheds; 09-08-2010, 09:58 AM.
        All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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        • #5
          Hi Bramble ...I have never had such a slow year for courgettes...I thought it was the different variety we had (Zuboda) but others' have been slow too. Perhaps it's just the parched conditions here in sunny Sussex. This rain may help?

          Or get into frying the male flowers(seem to have enough of those) in tempura batter with sweet chilli..yummy.

          I must PM you to find how your sweet potatoes are doing...blooming things are making a bid for greenhouse domination here.

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          • #6
            zaz: I know, but I can't help myself to hope there will be lots when I get there.

            two_sheds: *sob* don't make me cry. It's just so painful when I go outside and see nothing .

            Paulottie: I did water a few of them once in a while during the hot spell but maybe it wasn't enough? I might fry a few flowers at the weekend to tell them off. PM on the way re sweet potatoes!
            Last edited by Bramble_killer; 16-07-2010, 08:09 AM.

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            • #7
              You'll get there. What varieties are you growing?

              I had a bad year last year for courgettes. I think I grew them too close together, they do need alot of space. I also hardly ever feed mine and this year I've so many I don't know what to do with them tbh, so feed isn't the answer if they have decent soil.

              So how far apart are you growing them and are you trying to grow things in between them, they don't like that.

              Starting them at the right time is also the right thing to do, as is potting them on if they need it without delay, as is getting them out at the right time and protecting them from winds and frosts.
              Last edited by womble; 16-07-2010, 10:40 AM.
              "Orinoco was a fat lazy Womble"

              Please ignore everything I say, I make it up as I go along, not only do I generally not believe what I write, I never remember it either.

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              • #8
                I've never had a glut either
                Mad Old Bat With Attitude.

                I tried jogging, but I couldn't keep the ice in my glass.

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                • #9
                  water them

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                  • #10
                    No glut last year but this year i to am hoping for one .

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                    • #11
                      I'm having a poor yield with my courgettes also. They are getting plenty of water and the conditions are good for them, just loads of flowers, mostly male. I've harvested only one courgette so far, but another is growing and should be ready in a couple of days. Shame because i really like courgettes.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by womble View Post
                        You'll get there. What varieties are you growing?

                        I had a bad year last year for courgettes. I think I grew them too close together, they do need alot of space. I also hardly ever feed mine and this year I've so many I don't know what to do with them tbh, so feed isn't the answer if they have decent soil.

                        So how far apart are you growing them and are you trying to grow things in between them, they don't like that.

                        Starting them at the right time is also the right thing to do, as is potting them on if they need it without delay, as is getting them out at the right time and protecting them from winds and frosts.
                        2 Diamant (from Lidl), 2 Black Beauty (from Dig-in), 1 gold rush.

                        I am growing them around the edge of the tomato bed (3) and 2 in between 2 rose bushes but they have approximately 1metre between them. They get fed once a week like the tomatoes/cucumbers/aubs.

                        Maybe they are a bit too close, maybe they got rootbound before planting out.

                        I'll see how long I can ignore them for to see if Zaz's theory works

                        I'm going to water them again tomorrow to see what's going on.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by katholicos View Post
                          I'm having a poor yield with my courgettes also. They are getting plenty of water and the conditions are good for them, just loads of flowers, mostly male. I've harvested only one courgette so far, but another is growing and should be ready in a couple of days. Shame because i really like courgettes.
                          I have found this year that my courgettes are slow too. The two good sized ones that I have picked are from a parthenon type which pollonates itself. There has also been two small yellow courgettes.

                          I think my eagerness to try different types has affected them as I probably have them too close now. Additionally, when I planted them from seed, it was in April when I had plenty of time, but then spring was late coming and then I didn't have enough time to plant them out as I would have liked and so they stayed in their pots longer. They definately do better coming straight out of pots when they are ready.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Bramble_killer View Post
                            2 Diamant (from Lidl), 2 Black Beauty (from Dig-in), 1 gold rush.

                            I am growing them around the edge of the tomato bed (3) and 2 in between 2 rose bushes but they have approximately 1metre between them. They get fed once a week like the tomatoes/cucumbers/aubs.

                            Maybe they are a bit too close, maybe they got rootbound before planting out.

                            I'll see how long I can ignore them for to see if Zaz's theory works

                            I'm going to water them again tomorrow to see what's going on.
                            I think that's planted a bit close, they really appreciate a bed by themselves as well. I would stop feeding them. If mine can survive with only being fed once with liquid feed and they've produced about 20 fruits each so far, I think it shows it isn't needed, especially at the start of fruiting.

                            I have got clay soil though, depends on your soil obviously.
                            "Orinoco was a fat lazy Womble"

                            Please ignore everything I say, I make it up as I go along, not only do I generally not believe what I write, I never remember it either.

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                            • #15
                              Once you get a glut there are some recipes in the forum section

                              Season to Taste Recipes and Cooking advice for transforming your crop

                              Grow Your Own - Growing, How To Grow Tomatoes Growing Fruit & Veg - Recipe Advice, Organic food Gardening, Chickens, Seeds for Sale

                              Jimmy
                              Expect the worst in life and you will probably have under estimated!

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