Topic: Help! Should I kill them all???

[piglit]

Hi, quite new on the site... I have just started growing veg since moving house last month.  I have got about 20 courgette plants of various types and ages and some of them have got one yellow, mottled leaf.  I have read my vegetable expert book and fear that I have the dreaded mosaic virus and that all my other plants will go the same way.  I have quarantined all suspect individuals in a mini greenhouse, along with some dodgy tomatoes my father-in-law gave me.  Should I cut my losses and bin the lot or do I give them a chance?  All have just 1 leaf, the first proper leaf after the 2 seed leaves that are yellow and are otherwise thriving.  

Many thanks,

Alice

[derbex]

Alice,

I'm not an expert, but 20 courgetee plants is probably far more than you need, you could probably keep five and still have the things coming out of your ears (thinks courgette smiley?). I only grow a couple normally -and if I can keep them watered that's about enough for us. So you can afford to bin the duff ones, and see what happens. If the worst comes to the worst it's not too late to sow more (might be an idea to do that now if you've some seeds left) or pick up a few at a plant sale or garden centre.

A photo would help enormously, if you can get one electronically.

P.S. Had our first of the season last week -from the greenhouse a type called Partenon that seem to have sorted out pollination for themselves. I think they'll have to come out though or they'll take the place over.

[piglit]

Thanks Derbex.  I will try and get a photo tonight.  I think I did rather overdo it on the numbers but I didn't think that every last one would a) germinate b) survive my novice attempts at repotting and c) survive the slugs that think my garden is a party venue just for them!! I don't mind throwing them away if they are sick but if they are just having an off day then I would feel bad - they put all that effort into growing... ::)

[derbex]

No probs. slugs seem to like the main stem -at least when it's young- I surround mine with eggshells or 'slug stoppa' or even grit and that seems to be enough for them to thrive.

Jeremy

[tim]

I would have thought it unlikely that mosaic would have struck so soon? Have they been too dry - too wet? Were they in good compost?

Do agree with quantities - you could get up to 50 fruit per plant!! More likely 25. = Tim

[john_miller]

As Tim says it should be far to early for virus. If by 'various' courgettes you are including yellow types then I would imagine that the plants are just letting you know that they are the yellow ones. In many cultivars the yellow gene is so precocious that it is not restricted to the fruit.
Your tomatoes may not be dodgy either, just exhibiting a natural growth habit.

[piglit]

Thanks John! That is most reassuring as the yellow varieties are definately the ones with yellow leaves.  I thought they might be weaker as they are 'special'.  I will keep them in solitary confinement for a bit longer to see how they do but they are healthy and growing like mad so it seems mean to bin them just yet.  

Thank you everyone who has replied... this is a great site for novice bods like me - I have learnt so much by reading through all the old posts and it is fab to have all you experts on hand for specific questions... thanks!

Alice

PS I don't even really like courgettes so quite what I will do with the potential thousands that I will end up with if they are OK will probably be a question later on...

[ALAN HOWELL]

Alice...don't worry too much,my courgettes were covered with mottled leaves but we still had enough to feed the family and give to neighbours from only 2 plants!! ;D......Alan

[Muddy_Boots]

Hi Piglet,

Think we ought to do an ISO Gavin for lots of lovely recipes, not to mention Tim et al, and then rush to Recipes4All site to see what they've come up with!  ;D

[john_miller]

Weaker piglit? Yellow ones (not yellow courgettes, but the varieties known over here as summer squash) yield about twice as much as green courgettes by weight (and they are not as dense as courgettes!) for me.
If you do end up planting too many remember that they can be harvested at any size- typically 'baby' squash are harvested the day after flowering.

[piglit]

Oh Blimey!! I have 5 of those yellow sunburst squash plants... Courgettes for breakfast lunch and dinner I fear.  If they get through the yellow leaf stage I may be offering some free to good homes! Do you think they would survive posting??? Perhaps my colleagues would like some!

[Doris_Pinks]

Piglit, Courgette cake is delicious and freezes well ;D even my kids eat it!!  

[ptennisnet]

I'm looking forward to courgette season and the challenge of using all the courgettes...we had 6 plants last year and every recipe book and the web were scoured for courgettes.  Even so, we still ended up giving some away.  This year's challenge is to use them all ourselves.

[Doris_Pinks]

Courgette wine?? ;D ;D ;D

[Moggle]

Mmmm, baby ones fried/roasted in butter, stir-fried, in ratatouille (spelling?) or any tomato based mixture, in minestrone soup!  :P :P ;D ;D

PS Ratatouille is yum on jacket spuds!

[Doris_Pinks]

Moggle, Ratatouille AND hummus in a jacket spud ;D Double yum!!

[derbex]

They're good sliced lengthways and fried in a light batter.

Jeremy

[Moggle]

Yum DP and Jeremy, and aren't the flowers edible too?

[Doris_Pinks]

So they say! Lighty battered I think! (and not with a big stick ;D) I am far too cheap to pick the flowers as I just have to watch the fruit grow...........so I can give bagloads away!!   :-\hehehehe......Moggle also VERY good raw, thinly sliced drizzled with olive oil, balsamic, lots of fresh black pepper, and parmesan shavings.....drooling now!!!   Hmm maybe we should be on the recipes section ;D

[john_miller]

Sunburst is one of the very best squashes to grow Piglit (imho of course!). I don't care for courgettes or summer/yellow squash particularly but Sunburst does appeal to me, especially when picked small. If you do want to do squash flowers regular courgette flowers are best for stuffing as they are more robust than others. When I sold squash flowers for battering the chefs preferred green patty pan flowers, just for informations sake.
Incidentally, your green courgette leaves will probably produce extensive silver mottling as they mature. This is nothing to worry about either as it is quite natural.