Author Topic: how many courgettes planning this year! (Read 9271 times)

andhram · « **on:** January 08, 2016, 17:20:06 »

got quite a few courgette packets. and can not drop one for another due to its being my 2nd year of growing and I got decent crop last from several plants. ( mostly one plant was giving fruit any time and only one plant that got recovered in september gave fruits till the end.

do not want the gluts but like to taste as many courgetts in same year ..any one else joining me ?

sparrow · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2016, 17:45:38 »

I've got about 5 varieties for this year. I dehydrate any that get a bit big and we have them instead of crisps. Delicious!

johhnyco15 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2016, 18:54:05 »

just three for me was going to do just two varieties then i fell for zephyr just had to give it a go so its astia all green bush and zephyr for me 2 plants of each and a late sowing in june

penedesenca · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2016, 21:00:13 »

Aiming for 6 plants. 2 each of lungo bianco, golden zucchini and new to me this year cocozelle.

Pescador · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2016, 21:35:18 »

Aiming for 10 plants of Parador, a lovely yellow courgette and normally prolific. I use them for 2 of my best selling chutneys so there's never an excess!

Paulh · « **Reply #5 on:** January 08, 2016, 23:46:14 »

I usually grow 4 plants - two green, two yellow (Atena is the best for me). It's more than we need but it would be a disaster if I grew only one of each and had a failure! Most of my neighbours like courgettes so I can get rid of the excess. However, thihs year, I'm trying some other summer squashes too.

Vinlander · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2016, 10:27:23 »

I try to put one courgette plant in the NW corner of my polytunnel in late April/early May (or even earlier if I can manage to get an old galvanised cold water tank into that corner this year - it will guarantee no frosts in that area).

It shouldn't be a difficult decision to dump the PT plant in full flood when the outside ones come 'on stream' but it is... and then it becomes a giant obstacle! Last year the outside ones were so poor that it was worth leaving in.

Squash (eg. italian crooknecks taken as courgettes) can be a better choice for the PT - you can plant them outside (where the rainwater goes) and lead them inside to cover the N wall where they won't shade anything else.

I also have a couple of courgettes in the back garden in >40cm pots - a handy early crop but not a large one - the spineless types are good for this especially if the path is a corner at that point (by then I will be in shorts).

I once put a potted courgette in the shallowest part of the pond - good for keeping slugs/snails at bay - and a good technique for other crops at serious risk too.

Cheers.

andhram · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2016, 15:14:42 »

making crisps is good idea, and also cut them making some thing with them immediately feels satisfying than to make a bank of frozen chunks. thanks sparrow.

I too plan to have one courget plant in GH early, and get rid of it by end of june.

Zephyr F1 is heavy cropping and takes lot of space as well.given proper feed and other growing conditions ...it can grow into uncountable branches and many fruits all over. probably this year I snip off all extra branches like removing arm pits to tomatos? may be worth trying with spare plant ready just incase.

me too planning other summer squash..may end up lot many crisps which is lovely though

seeling courgette chutney is really good idea Pescador!

Vinlander,

I see serious slug issues with courgettes ,so used as much of slugpellets... if they allowed to eat those plants may be in no time they get stronger and turn 10 into 100's of slug population?

Deb P · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2016, 16:39:06 »

Ill be growing four early plants and four later ones. I'm going to grow them in insulated cubes from May, and tie them up to canes as I tried this last year and it worked really well, less slug damage and as you pick off the lower leaves as you tie them up less mildew as well.

andhram · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2016, 17:34:08 »

Deb good tip, will try removing lower leaves with each fruit. what 4 are the early varieties?

Deb P · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2016, 18:41:40 »

Cavili, Parador, Sunstripe, Black Jack...

andhram · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2016, 16:37:12 »

Fianlly I have decided to use one pack of seeds this year " Courgette 'BBQ Mixed' F1 Hybrid" it contains 8 seeds.

Sow 4 seeds first and If want more another 4 seeds. no lables and tracking. ;ife easier and covers 3 types of courgettes ... easy to grow boring stuff more and few interesting things to concentrate on. so the same gos with cabbage,cauliflowers,leeks and brussel sprouts.

an year of mixed seed packs of F1 seeds that provide longer harvests with limited number of plants. and no much labels for basics.

gray1720 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2016, 18:48:21 »

Does it matter what you plan? There will either be too few or too many, however hard you try!

Adrian

Elfeda · « **Reply #13 on:** January 14, 2016, 12:03:13 »

Quote from: gray1720 on January 12, 2016, 18:48:21

Does it matter what you plan? There will either be too few or too many, however hard you try!

Adrian

It is what I am feared of . Lol

ha ha .. it is what I am feared off

Deb P · « **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2016, 16:42:04 »

I'm willing to bet that my friend who grew 50 courgette plants last year will be growing a fair fewer this year......lol!

johhnyco15 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 14, 2016, 17:18:52 »

ah yes summer gluts courgettes at the end of every path on the site fantastic friends wont awnser ther phone neighbours closing there doors as i open the boot of my car old peoples homes wont unlock the door for the threat of another courgette i dont think apart from runner beans that crop so prolific there great so 6 plants will be enough and another 6 in june

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 19, 2016, 19:08:51 »

I'm going to stick four Striato di Italia in this year....

johhnyco15 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 19, 2016, 20:08:13 »

i was going to plant 6 that was until my my new pal clumsy sent me some round Asian seeds so another 2 so thats 8 and 8 later

Jayb · « **Reply #18 on:** March 10, 2016, 08:16:34 »

I'm going to try Cavili F1 and Partenon F1 for earlies, they will likely go in the polytunnel. Partenon did really well outdoors for me last year, early and went on cropping, well impressed.
Maincrops will be Zephyr F1 and Clumsy's Asian Round. Love the colours of Zephyr and can't wait to try Asian Round they sound so good.
And for crossing and seed saving I'm hoping White Volunteer and Trieste White Half Long. I love both these varieties and grew them last year too. but the fruits I saved for seed didn't set viable seed, though I had lots of lovely courgettes to eat from the plants.

Andhram, getting a mixed mixed packet sounds a good idea, I just took a look, nice - a yellow, green and stripy

Jayb · « **Reply #19 on:** March 10, 2016, 08:18:48 »

Quote from: Elfeda on January 14, 2016, 12:03:13

It is what I am feared of . Lol

ha ha .. it is what I am feared off

Sorry I'm a bit late, but Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy it here

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Author Topic: how many courgettes planning this year! (Read 9271 times)