Courgette v Marrow

chrisnchris

Hi, 

I planted 4 courgette plants in May, only one survived.

I have had to try hand pollinating with 50% success.

The plant developed one courgette which I have let grow on, It's now about 16" long & 4-5" in diameter..... I really like stuffed Marrow

As yet, this has been the only female flower to set (?) although there has been one other that I tried to  pollinate but it rotted.

 

Has my growing the one successful courgette into a marrow affected the plant in any way preventing the production of female flowers, or won't it have made any difference ?

 

Cheers 

 

Chris

bekkie hughes

I think it does supress the formation of further fruit as the energy is put into that one



I may be wrong tho

Dovefromabove

That's what I find as well.  

derbyduck

I always pick the first ones of when small to get them going then you can leave them to turn to marrows ,Iv'e grown some round ones this year and they are doing better than the others they are flesher also and offer themselves up for stuffing and roasting better yum yum  lol

chrisnchris

Thanks, point taken, I just didn't want to miss out on my stuffed marrow & with only one to choose from I left it to grow on.

Next year I will try & make sure all my plants survive 

I will cut it tomorrow in the hope that more fruits will develop, I have noticed another female starting to develop. It's about 2"

There is a male flower that's already opening & I guess the female is at least a week away from opening. Is there any way to preserve the male pollen until the female is ready for me to "make like the bees" 

 

What variety of round ones did you grow derbyduck & how big do you let them get?

bekkie hughes

You could try picking the male and keeping it in the fridge? Or i suppose you could run a paintbrush/cotton bud over it and keep that in the fridge until the female opens

Hester Scott

I would say let them get on with it!  Courgettes and marrows don't need any help. Or am I missing something?

chrisnchris

You're not missing anything, apart from the fact that mine never seem to produce many fruits that set.

I was told this is a pollination problem and so I give a helping hand.

The issue has been compounded this year because I only had one plant survive. Under "ideal", or even "fair" conditions I would expect them, as you say, to get on with it.

Mine seem reluctant to do so 

bekkie hughes

Everyone has something that wont do well for them but grows like a weed for everyone else, mine is spring onions! Silly eh



What happened to your courgettes? Was it slugs? Ive found SAS spray from the OGC, it just deters them, i dont think its intended for this use, but i spray it on the young plants and it works a treat, one or two cans usually last me a season depending on what im growing. Its made from yucca i think, nothing nasty

chrisnchris

I suspect it was slugs although I had someone else plant them for me because I was out of action at the time....very long story...I don't think they were planted with any care & suspect damage to the roots. Slugs finished them off. I kept one back, I'm cautious like that, & planted it myself, that's the one that survived.

 

I don't know what SAS spray is.....does it prevent the army from using your garden as a training ground ?  

 

I assume that OGC is organic garden control?

Excuse my ignorance....where would I get it from?

 

Cheers

Chris

bekkie hughes

Im sorry, i tend to shorten things bacause i cant spell! Dunno about the actual SAS! , I meant the organic gardening catalogue/chase organics, i think its made to be sprayed around doors etc to deter slugs etc, but i use it inside the greenhouse, under the rims of pots/seed trays and spray on leaves, ive even found it useful to bring plants back from the brink of being munched to death!



Re-apply after rain