Courgettes Stopped!

[Jelliebabe]

My courgettes seem to be giving up... The Females dont appear to be pollenating as they are generally yellowing and dropping off.... Just as they were really starting to get going <sigh> Can't be lack of water LOL. Do they need some food, sunshine, a stern telling off??? Is it just me, why is the sky blue (or black as at the moment...)

[Gemmalaveen]

Mine are starting to give up on life now too I think it might be the lack of sunshine/warmth as it's been much chillier this year than last (got married a year ago and had a gloriously sunny day 28 degrees C!)

My one plant stopped producing female flowers altogether and was just throwing out masses of male flowers so I killed it off. My other two remaining plants are still producing but very slowly.

Here's to a sunny September!

[Bren In Pots]

I've got 2 plants in a bed that are still producing but my spare one I put in a tub has given up so I'm leaving the last courgette to grow into a marrow.

[w33blegurl]

Mine never really got going.....but they are certainly not doing much now! Can't blame them tho, its freeeeezing today

[Patchninja]

I think they just getg worn out. My book says to re-sow around june/july to get fresh plants for now.

[Two_Sheds]

Mine have grown massive lush foliage in all the rain we've had, but the fruits have slowed down.
I might give them a feed if I remember

[womble]

I think they just getg worn out. My book says to re-sow around june/july to get fresh plants for now.

I've done that for the last couple of years, my new ones are just coming into fruit now.
My big old ones are starting to slow down a bit, although like TS, after all the rain they're looking lush, apart from the older leaves which have come out in mildew, I think a big chopping back session is coming on.

I really think the extra plants this year aren't needed, as it looks like the original plants are going to crop until the first frost, but the new smaller plants will be easier to cover up to protect from the first few frosts, which will keep them going much longer with any luck.

But we are all still sick of courgettes now

[northepaul]

Mine have stopped producing female flowers altogether.
Leaves look abit sad too...its been very cold over the last week and we had a gale on wednesday (one of my shelly beans canes snapped completely and they all fell over!! ) so most things are looking a little weather beaten....

[Brengirl]

Mine ended up as compost weeks ago. It was in the greenhouse and showed so little interest in anything apart from taking up too much room, that it had to go. Not a good year for me I have just despatched the cucumbers and melon for just sitting there and doing nothing.

[northepaul]

Mine ended up as compost weeks ago. It was in the greenhouse and showed so little interest in anything apart from taking up too much room, that it had to go. Not a good year for me I have just despatched the cucumbers and melon for just sitting there and doing nothing.

Hmm thats interesting Bren, my cues have been a real disappointment too. My squashes are and have been since June, tiny little plants.... I wonder if its a south coast thing?

[jetsmaw]

My courgettes just keep on coming. It's my first time growing and even although they are too close together and one pot has two in it by accident they seem to be giving me loads of courgettes, more than my household eats. I'm in Scotland so it's been getting cold for a while.

Can i just ask, are they single season plants or will they keep on going next summer too?

[taff]

single season jet....
they usually more than make up for it though....

[Jelliebabe]

spoke to soon they've produced some more this week! Courgette, feta and sesame muffins for me!

[Cobalt]

Lucky you, I've had about one courgette per plant so far! So much lush foliage, just so little in the way of fruit. They've had plenty of water though the temperatures have fluctuated a lot recently from really hot to quite nippy so again I guess they don't know whether to fruit or die. I've got a few developing at the moment though so I'm hoping that all is not lost and I might get another few weeks growth out of them and maybe a half dozen more courgettes.

What I have noticed is a lot of flowers on very long, thin stems. Some are male but some are also female, but sadly they never really "fill out" into a courgette, just sort of wither, go yellow and die. Not sure if they've not been pollinated enough or if I've planted them too close together, but either way I've not had a stunning introduction this year.