Topic: Well I never knew that....!

[nittynora]

OK, so found out today that you are supposed to take off all the male flowers from courgettes/squashes except one or two ......... 

Father came round, tutted at our hermaphrodite plants and we picked off LOADS..........

I wonder how many other things he hasn't told us about .... Has anyoone else got similar tales/tips/admissions?? ;) ??? ::)

[electric landlady]

Are you?????

I never have. Have still got courgettes though. Does it make a difference?

[Angelah]

Another novice here - so whats the difference between the flowers? I've not touched my squash plants - have one squash already, but loads of flowers - do I take them off  - when? Which ones? Help!!!!!

[pigeonseed]

I think you need male flowers to pollinate the female ones and produce courgettes. But maybe that's wrong. I think it's cucumbers where they get bitter if pollinated.

so you should leave all the flowers on your courgettes I think.

[Suzanne]

Pigeon seed you are spot on - it's only cucumbers and indoor ones at that where you remove the male flowers.

[kt.]

I have had tons of courgettes from previous crops and never once removed flowers.  (Don't grow them anymore because there is only me who eats them in our house.  Couldn't justify them all the space).  This is my first year growing Carmen cucumber and we have had over 12 fruit, 10-14" long and it is still going strong.  Not removed any of these flowers neither - though Carmen is a self pollinating variety 8)

Besides:  what does a male flower look like compared to a femail one ???

[littlebabybird]

female flowers have little baby pumpkins/cuecumbers/courgettes/or whatever you are growing behind them
lbb

[kt.]

female flowers have little baby pumpkins/cuecumbers/courgettes/or whatever you are growing behind them
lbb

Thanks.   :)

[nittynora]

Thanks for the comments.  We have never removed flowers previously either and have always got courgettes.  Dad reckons that by removing most of the male ones, the plant is not putting energy into "wasted" effort.  Whether that makes a difference?  I dunno ???  Interesting to see no-one else seems to do this ......... maybe I should tell  him.......

As llb said, the females are the ones with fruit attached.  Males just stick up on thin straight stalks.  The flowers themselves look identical to me!

[KathrynH]

I've never removed flowers from courgettes, cucumbers or any kind of squash, never heard of it before. Cucumbers are going wild at the moment!

[lorna]

Last year I really thought I had removed all male flowers from my cucumber plants (in greenhouse) but I still landed up with bitter tasting cucumbers, so this year I only bought female plants. The cues on these plants (only bought 2) are excellent. Much easier when you are a novice at growing them.

[erbie]

Funny thing.....

This year I planted out about 7 courgette plants, the 'regular' courgette plants have been producing very well for the last 6 weeks but the other strain (summer crookneck, or bent) squash have been totally covered in what you describe as male flowers but no female flowers/fruit..... hmmmm i only have 4 of this strain, is it possible to have 4 purely male plants?! i sounds highly unlikely as i thought that all varieties of squash were hermies?

Any ideas?

[betula]

Welcome to A4A erbie :)

[Hyacinth]

.....and welcome from me, too :)

.....hesitantly....my courgettes seem to produce loads of 'male flowers' at first (well, it's a male show-off thing?) before, suddenly, the females take over 8) and they're away...

I've been late sowing this year and even up to last week I thought I was doomed to no courgettes but loads of unproductive flowers.......whew! what a difference a week makes....

Courgettes anyone?

[Jeannine]

The lads always show up first and hang around in droves waiting for the ladies..there is no need to take any flowers  off and no there is no male only courgette.XX Jeannine

[erbie]

Thanks for the welcome betula and Alishka_Maxwell!
And hi to everyone else :)
This forum is great :D
Thanks also for the courgette advice, hopefully i'll have some of those crookneck squash to try soon, funny i tried them as they are listed as a prolific producer and so far i've not had 1!
On a different note (although squash related), has anyone here tried to grow Kabocha before (its a Japanese pumkin/squash)?
I grew some last year but the squash didn't get very big, i also can't seem to find any grow advice on them for the growing dates etc...
It's a shame because they are really tasty, sweet and buttery, they are used in Japanese cooking for making croquettes and in stews but also in lots of pudding/cake recipes.

[manicscousers]

hiya, erbie, nice to meet you  ;D
sure there was a thread on here about kabocha squash, maybe search could find it  :)

[Jeannine]

Kabocha is one I grow regularly, what help do you need ? XX Jeannine  oh and welcome too...sorry.

[antipodes]

Yes I never take courgette flowers off and have lots  ???
But this year I have noticed that the growth seems more moderate, very few "marrows" but I have also been picking them regularly too. I planted some lovely yellow courgettes and will do that again next year, they are smooth (less prickles), very mild nutty flavour, few seeds, give off little water as they cook.
Last night I made two huge jars of ratatouille for when we have forgotten our lovely summery veg and are eating cabbage all week  ;D ;D

[asbean]

This year I grew a so-called all-male variety of zucchino - Calabacin - and we've had loads of zucchini, they are a ridged variety and quite tasty.  Loads of male flowers, but plenty of female as well.