Courgette Roulette

[Jay-ell]

Alot of the ones waiting to go in are my spares/weaker plants incase of death of the originals. Using Cucurbita as a green mulch/ground cover on my new plot this year to swamp out the weeds whilst I finish work on the original plot and work on the new plot.

Anything not eaten or turned into courgette crisps (entire family is switched onto courgette crisps) or cake and not given away will help build up the compost.

[sparrow100]

Am a big fan of courgette crisps too.

[Looby100]

Nervous newbie and couregettes.

Hi. This is my first post, I subscribe to GYO magazine and this is also my first year of seriously growing our own. I am loving it and have a good selection of things growing outside and in but recently getting a bit worried. I have two good courgettes plants that are starting to produce 'fruit' approx. 4 inches long and a good green colour with lots of yellow flowers but some of the leaves are yellowish. They are in containers in my Poly House so not sure if this could be due to over watering - I have but down on this recently. Any help?

[muddled]

Hello Looby, welcome to the vine!

What have you put down on this recently? (I think you may have missed out a word)

Courgettes are very hungry and thirsty plants so my first thought would be that they have consumed the nutrients in their pots and are crying out for more.
However, your post suggests that you might have put some sort of feed down for them so I wonder, if you have, could it have been a little strong? Did you put it down before or after the leaves yellowed?

One final question....well, two actually! Is it only the first leaves that are yellowed and are the leaves mottled or completely yellow?

[bario1]

I think they meant 'I have cut down on this recently' regarding the watering.

I had some leaves go yellow on my courgettes last year shortly after planting out, but all the new growth came up green and they sorted themselves out without me interfering.

[AvidNewBee]

Could you let them grow on a bit more, maybe in bigger pots, & see which ones start trailing more than the others? Then plant them on whatever frame you're using if planning on growing all the role together? Or plant them all out any which way & train up individual wigwams when the trailing habit starts to show. Can already see the difference in habit between my courgette zephyr which is quite bushy & the turks turban/spaghetti squash which spread out more.

Great idea thank you

[AvidNewBee]

Alot of the ones waiting to go in are my spares/weaker plants incase of death of the originals. Using Cucurbita as a green mulch/ground cover on my new plot this year to swamp out the weeds whilst I finish work on the original plot and work on the new plot.

Anything not eaten or turned into courgette crisps (entire family is switched onto courgette crisps) or cake and not given away will help build up the compost.

Courgette crisps!! Now you're talking I've never made crisps but i would take a guess at low oven, olive oil, seasoning.... How do you do yours? thanks

[AvidNewBee]

Hi. This is my first post, I subscribe to GYO magazine and this is also my first year of seriously growing our own. I am loving it and have a good selection of things growing outside and in but recently getting a bit worried. I have two good courgettes plants that are starting to produce 'fruit' approx. 4 inches long and a good green colour with lots of yellow flowers but some of the leaves are yellowish. They are in containers in my Poly House so not sure if this could be due to over watering - I have but down on this recently. Any help?

Hi Looby, I'm pretty new here too so welcome sorry I am more of an advice taker rather than giver as yet lol, but this site is great and everyone is very helpful and knowledgable, good luck and I hope you enjoy this site x

[AvidNewBee]

Broken arm - plant not human

One of the arms on one of my best two courgettes has broken under its own weight because I hadn't filled the pot enough , Doh! , should I cut it off or just leave it?


On another note, after reading this thread, someone mentioned leaving some to become marrows and I remembered Marrow rum. I've never made it but I read a post and a lady left a courgette to become an uber marrow, cut off the top and scooped out about a third I think, leaving a thick wall of flesh still so it was like a chunky vase, if that makes sense lol. Then she packed it with some sort of dark soft brown sugar, dark muscovado I imagine, replaced the top and put it in a pair of tights/stocking and then suspended it under a barstool, over a clean bucket. Then she covered it loosely with a thick black bin bag and left it in the shed for, if I remember correctly, 6 months..... Bish Bash Bosh....Marrow Rum.


I imagine someone here will have a more accurate recipe lol

[happyhumph]

Hope it helps Avidnewbee. Have to say marrow rum sounds a bit , erm, shall we say......interesting

[Jay-ell]

Courgette crisps!! Now you're talking I've never made crisps but i would take a guess at low oven, olive oil, seasoning.... How do you do yours? thanks

I use a dehydrator - slice them thinly (the thinner the better ), drizzle a LITTLE olive oil, pinch of salt possibly pepper, chilli flakes, or other seasoning of choice and then into the dehydrator until crisp. You could do them in a low oven.

The crisps don't last for long - my sister and niece seem to smell them from miles away and drop in to scoff the lot

[Containergardener]

My OH is worried we are going to have a glut , he isn't keen on courgette ..tough !
Told him about the crisps he will be able to have with courgette wine , he doesn't seem convinced

[Jay-ell]

One of the arms on one of my best two courgettes has broken under its own weight because I hadn't filled the pot enough , Doh! , should I cut it off or just leave it?


On another note, after reading this thread, someone mentioned leaving some to become marrows and I remembered Marrow rum. I've never made it but I read a post and a lady left a courgette to become an uber marrow, cut off the top and scooped out about a third I think, leaving a thick wall of flesh still so it was like a chunky vase, if that makes sense lol. Then she packed it with some sort of dark soft brown sugar, dark muscovado I imagine, replaced the top and put it in a pair of tights/stocking and then suspended it under a barstool, over a clean bucket. Then she covered it loosely with a thick black bin bag and left it in the shed for, if I remember correctly, 6 months..... Bish Bash Bosh....Marrow Rum.


I imagine someone here will have a more accurate recipe lol

Hmm Rum - is it too late to sow more plants?

[Containergardener]

Oh now then...rum , I may sell him


....ah interest now , I may need more plants although I think mum will be overloaded , already 5 on one of hers.
I wonder if a thread re making booze on here..off to look

[Containergardener]

Now I've found the boozers section , he is interested in gardening