Courgettes seem to be struggling and french bean too!!

[David P]

Hello all

I hope that you are enjoying the sun! 

I am growing a courgette in a big container with well rotted manure and good soil in it. I've never grown one looking so good (usually the slugs and snails get them) the only thing is there are about 7 courgettes growing on it at the mo.... none really that big yet. But the first couple that grew seem to be struggling more than the rest to get bigger.
Should I pick them? do the ones that are coming through need nipping off? Help!!

The other problem I have is that a couple of my climbing french beans (purple cascade) have got half way up the frame and seem drying up.... the leaves are falling off etc...  I water them the same as the rest just a couple on the end of the frame have this problem? any ideas??

Many many thanks

Dave

[David P]

[small]

I'm no courgette expert, but I think seven is a lot to be growing at once - how big are you hoping to grow them? What's the variety? I pick mine young and small, usually a couple at a time, and they just keep on making more.
No ideas on your beans, I'm afraid, there isn't something got at their roots is there? If they're dying, you'll lose nothing by pulling one up and checking. Good luck!

[squeezyjohn]

Sometimes the first few fruits don't set properly for me - especially if they flowered in rainy weather - I think it's to do with insect pollination.  Ones that flower in this kind of weather we're having now will probably set brilliantly though.  You could try hand pollination if you're worried about it though.

[BarriedaleNick]

I grow Courgette Parthenon which produce fruit without pollination.  This means I only need two plants and they don't suffer from issues with setting fruit.  7 fruit at once on one plant is quite a lot and I would say they are struggling a bit - I'd take some off - maybe the ones that look weak to leave the better ones to pick when they have grown..

As to the beans - are the leaves yellowing or browning before falling off??

[antipodes]

Pick the first few quite small, and it will soon grow others.

[David P]

Thanks I'll pick some courgettes tonight,  as for the beans the leaves are going brown