Courgettes with Split Stems

[tinyvine]

Hello
I check my 'Troops' every day before work, sometimes I spend too long checking their growth and then I realise I'm late for work - again!

Unfotunately I've gone OTT on seeds and yes trying some more unusual types too. If only I didn't have to work - then my brain could concentrate! I am just so grateful that its all at the bottom of my garden.

Anyway, my stems have split on my crooknecks but this has only happened since they have been in the ground and the other squashes/courgettes around it seem ok (for now!). But then it has rained alot recently so I think yes must be rain, as it was a clean split, no munching marks!
I actually logged on because of that as I thought it was vine weevil! but as I pulled the stem off and looked inside it was hollow all the way up but no enemy inside, so maybe it was just water afterall.
(Paranoid after the stems on the Snake gords did the same thing and there was a black beetle inside- does anyone know of a good vine weevil? killer as the only ones I've seen are for ornamental plants!? thankyou)
Good luck on the alotment!

[PercyThrowback]

hi Tinyvine,

I've done that before. I find it terribly frustrating that some people just don't understand the need to tend to the urgent demands of my greenery before I let them borrow my time for something as "trivial" as work. I'm sure I read somewhere that happy staff means more productivity (I'm looking into the last bit - ish)!

I went to Gardeners World last week and was speaking to a guy from Robinson's & Co, the Veg growers who had a stand there. He had heard of the problem and thought it could have been a water based problem as mine split before I put them outside but at least they are all still growing and flowering so it would seem that there has been no lasting damage.

As a novice I've no idea about the vine weevil but you could get the answer from here or from somewhere like the RHS on line service.

[SueA]

Hi Tinyvine, I think the vine weevil solution you've been looking at is probably Provado which is supposed to be only used on ornamental plants in containers. The only thing I know of which is recommended for crops is nematodes which you water on to the plants, they go by the name Nemesis usually but are probably available under other names & do work quite well but are best if you use them a couple of times a year.You can buy them mail order or some garden centres now stock them in fridges.
http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalo...roducts_id=571

[tinyvine]

Thankyou Percy throwback! My OH calls me Percy!! I'm not sure his reasoning but I always think of percy the park keeper.

[tinyvine]

Thankyou Sue A
Very helpful website, I shall keep an eye out, altho I was at hilliers the other day, but there is never anyone around to ask anything to!
Will try again
thankyou!

[PercyThrowback]

Hi Tinyvine

The name originated from my mother who thought I took after the late Percy Thrower who looked after the Blue Peter Garden amongst other things. So when she came visiting just after I started growing veg and, as mothers are prone to do, praised my feeble efforts at growing things and made the now legendary remark, within the family, "If it was a fish you'd throw it back". The name was born and has stuck ever since.

You're lucky, my OH calls me "He who thinks He should be obeyed" can't think why.