Courgettes

[widgetwilk]

Hope every-ones veg is growing well 

My courgettes so far look like they have no 'swelling' under the flowers, I have 4 and they all look the same, does that mean I will get no veg from them??

[widgetwilk]

[pumkinlover]

If I remember correctly the male flowers come first and the female ones later when it's a bit warmer.
So don't give up !
Some one more knowledgeable will come along!

[Silverleaf]

Yes, I heard that too - the plants make loads of male flowers at first before they start making females. That was definitely the case for me last year.

You can make fritters with the male flowers!

[widgetwilk]

Thanks for your help and putting my mind at rest, I will be patience and wait,
don't think I like the sound of  fried fritters, am growing veg for healthy reason;
thanks again

[Silverleaf]

Then here's a pasta recipe instead. ;) http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/smallpennepastawithc_11691

[tricia]

Having had difficulty germinating my usual courgettes this year, I succumbed and bought a plant at my local garden centre. I'm growing it in a large container - see how well it's doing? Oddly, it hasn't yet produced a male flower. Instructions are to pick when 8-9 cm and as can be seen from the photo the plant is producing primarily female fruit. Weird! There is no indication on the label that this is a parthenocarpic variety. It just says 'courgette-suitable for containers'.

I did, eventually, manage to get one Parthenon seed to germinate, but it is way behind the 'shop-bought' courgette.

[Digeroo]

The flowers are delicious but you do not get much to eat with each one.

I would have thought that a bought one would come with a label with the variety.

Courgettes are always rather frustrating to start with.  It takes a little while for the plant to build up enough energy to produce a fruit.    I have a yellow on which has lots of tiny yellow bits but none are swelling.  It will hopefully not be long before I am overrun with them.  I think it worth making sure they have a good feed.

The cold mornings mean they are rather behind this year.

[Borlotti]

My courgettes didnt come up and bought packet of yellow ones. Even the green ones no good, a year without courgettes, i dont believe it.

[BarriedaleNick]

My parthenon courgettes are doing rather well.  They are hugely prolific and due to that I only ever plant two.  Started with three seeds - all came up and the weakest one got ditched.  The first fruits are forming nicely..

[Digeroo]

Still enough time to sow some more Borlotti.  I always sow a second batch because the first ones tend to get a bit leggy and sometimes get the mildew.

[caroline7758]

Apparently the demand for courgettes has soared in supermarkets because of the popularity of the spiralizer- could be a nerw outlet for our gluts this year!

[Silverleaf]

Have to admit I don't get the spiraliser at all. Is the idea that you're supposed to convince yourself you're eating pasta?

It tastes the same to me however it's cut. Yummy, but not a pasta substitute.

Reminds me of parents cutting food into cute shapes to persuade their children to try it.

[ancellsfarmer]

Thanks for your help and putting my mind at rest, I will be patience and wait,
don't think I like the sound of  fried fritters, am growing veg for healthy reason;
thanks again

Dip them in beaten free range duck egg and fry with your streaky air cured rashers in best unsalted British butter. There's not much healthier than that!

[Paulines7]

I cut my courgettes with a Juienne cutter to make it look like spaghetti.  I then fry it with a little bit of oil and then serve it with bolognese.  I am diabetic so cannot eat pasta because of its high carbohydrate value but courgettes make a good substitute.

My plants are still in the greenhouse but I hope to plant them out in the next few days.  I have been to France for a couple of weeks so need to do something with them shortly.  I also like courgettes cut into slices lengthways, dipped in olive oil and lemon juice and put on the barbecue. 

I am growing a lot of pale green varieties this year as I like the creamy flesh and they seem to have less seeds.  Cavali is my favourite courgette but I also have several new varieties to try this year. 

[Digeroo]

I like cavilli too but the seeds are getting difficult to find.

[Obelixx]

I love my spiraliser but use it for salads rather than veggie pasta.   Makes fresh, tasty and fun looking salads and raw beetroot and kohl rabi spirals are a revelation.

[tricia]

Cavili is one of my favourites too, but none of the seeds I bought from Edwin Tucker (packed year ending Sep 2014) germinated. Naturally, I complained and was sent a replacement packet. I was told that they were the newest consignment of seeds - with a packing number 6 (the first ones were 5) but although I was very patient not one of the five seeds I sowed from the second packet germinated either . Very unhappy but I shall try again next year with the remaining 7 seeds.

Tricia

[galina]

I like cavilli too but the seeds are getting difficult to find.

http://www.unwins.co.uk/courgette-lebanese-otto-seeds-pid5787.html

another Lebanese courgette, maybe worth replacing Cavili with this?

[Jayb]

I'm growing Parthenon as my early courgette, another thumbs up, I'm well impressed so far. First few flowers all had fruits, then a short hiccup with male only flowers when we had that recent cold snap, but back to lots of lovely female flowers and lots of fruit forming. Taste pretty good too. Hope your plants settle down very soon widgetwilk, this nice bit of weather should give them the idea.

I've just planted out a couple of  Cousa types, Trieste and white Volunteer and I'm really hoping the squash seedling I found growing outside is a crookneck, as I like the taste of them too. No sign of fruit yet all boys so far!!!!

[GREGME]

I'm guessing that the pantheon courgettes came so early because they didn't need pollination ?