Courgette Problem

Stephen_Maturin

Hello all,

Currently have 3 courgette plants (2 green, 1 yellow) growing in my glasshouse - they are growing very well, with 1 of the greens and the yellow already producing several large flowers with immature courgettes at their base. My problem is that these are all female flowers, while each plant is also producing male flowers, they remain small and green i.e. they are not opening/mature yet and I am doubtful of their capacity to produce pollen.

As my glasshouse is closed I was relying on being able to hand pollinate the plants using their own male flowers but it seems this won't be a viable option? Is there any reason to this disparity between the development rates of the different flowers? Is there anything I can do? This is my first year growing courgettes.

PS If anyone in the Dublin area has courgettes with mature male flowers I'd love a lend of one for pollinating my own! Thanks a million

Stephen_Maturin

Anyone? Anyone at all? Bueller? Bueller?

10-10-20

Funny you should ask - I had a random courgette grow in a very shaded part of the garden last year. It must have come from wild seed as I never planted it and we don't eat courgette, so is unlikely to have come from the compost. But anyhow it was late to fruit but even still, it got pollinated and bore a single 10cm fruit.

magicbastarder

don't eat courgettes from any plants where you don't know the seed source:

https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/22/what-toxic-squash-syndrome-how-safely-grow-courgettes-poisoning-uk-13162467/

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119013714#Comment_119013714

No way! Didn't know about that! Sneaky toads.

whelzer

I have grown courgettes for about 8 years, very successfully If I do so say myself!

I have gone from having 3 plants, then 2, now 1. Couldn't cope with the glut, neighbours would pretend they were not in (not quite but you get the idea!)

I have never intervened in pollinating them, have I been lucky? Am I doing something wrong?

For seeds I have used Lidl ones a few times but also Seedaholic.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119038126#Comment_119038126

Presumably you grow yours outside in that case? Our old friends the bees would take care of pollination for you! But my courgettes are growing in a closed glasshouse, no pollinators to do the job but me

Thankfully though my courgette’s male flowers have finally started producing pollen so I’ll have more than I know what to do with before long!

Dial Hard

I had the same problem last year. Female flowers would grow con brio, then wither and die cause they weren't pollinated, to be followed days later by a generous clutch of male flowers. Repeat ad nauseum all season. I got one edible courgette out of about 10 plants. It was so frustrating!

whelzer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119038182#Comment_119038182

Doh! Senior moment. Wouldn't mind but I've planted tons (literally tons) of walkers Low (Catmint), foxgloves, comfrey, borage, lupins and vipers bugloss to name just a few this last/this year.