Topic: still no sign of my courgettes

[littlegem]

i sowed my courgettes in an inch of compost 'cos i didnt have any other planting tub at hand and i was on a sowing mission, they've done brilliantly. what i cant understand is that they're called 'black beauty' which is normally an aubergine???? its an organic one from johnsons. can anyone shed any light on this, they seem to be coming up brilliantly though, already potted 3 on, and another two waiting for it!

[busy_lizzie]

My squashes have germinated fantastically and are looking very sturdy. It is the pumpkins that I have had problems with. I have had two goes.  Have just tried my OH's method of germinating "big" seeds, he puts some warm water on several layers of kitchen roll  on a small plate,  then a freezer bag encloses it which is blown into to create a bubble and tied up with a wire tag.  This is then put somewhere warm and dark like the airing cupboard and lo and behold several days later the little dears start sprouting, ready to be put into some compost. Has worked for me as pumpkins now sprouting.  :) busy_lizzie     

[redimp]

I am a total newbie.  I got my lottie in January and a lot of it is still weed ridden.  The only things I have ever grown before are cabbage, onion, garlic, runner beans and herns in a very small terraced house garden.  Everything is in cells, pots or paper pots and tubes at home at the moment, except the potatoes, onion, garlic, peas, broad beans and a few cabbages.  I am digging as I need and then planting fairly mature plants that I hope can cope with the at times adverse conditons.  I find I need to dig and clear three time to make a patch useable so it may be slow progress getting some fo the things in - roll on half term.

[wardy]

These posts show signs of such frenetic activity going on in a desparate attempt to get stuff ready to go out.  It's brill  ;D   My no show courgettes pumpkins and squashes are being threatened with the bin if they don't show today  ;D  I wonder if I sowed them too deep so will have a prod to see if they've rotted or whatever  :(

[gunnerbee]

I think im going to have a poke about too, and have an inquest into whats gone wrong!!!! and get some new ones in if they have rotted. The same happened with my french beans nothing happened, when i looked they were completley mouldy under the soil, So i went to the garden centre for back ups!!! Could be something in the pots???

[Rox]

My squashes have germinated fantastically and are looking very sturdy. It is the pumpkins that I have had problems with. I have had two goes.  Have just tried my OH's method of germinating "big" seeds, he puts some warm water on several layers of kitchen roll  on a small plate,  then a freezer bag encloses it which is blown into to create a bubble and tied up with a wire tag.  This is then put somewhere warm and dark like the airing cupboard and lo and behold several days later the little dears start sprouting, ready to be put into some compost. Has worked for me as pumpkins now sprouting.  :) busy_lizzie     

Can this be done with all types of big seeds i.e., beans, peas, etc... or is it not advisable for some? Sounds like a great idea, and space saver! Also saves poking around in compost to see what's happening when seeds don't germinate!  :)

[gunnerbee]

well, ive done my poking and the seeds are swollen, so im going to give them a bit more time. They didnt look mouldy, fingers crossed they will go!!!

[Svea]

what i cant understand is that they're called 'black beauty' which is normally an aubergine???? its an organic one from johnsons. can anyone shed any light on this...

one of my varieties is 'black beauty' (a zucchini) - why shouldnt it have the same name as an aubergine? differemt species, after all?
got mine ;from my mom in germany...
also growing an all bush green

[wardy]

Yep, I've poked about in the compost to reveal the little darlings languishing doing nothing  ;D  I've loosened the compost a bit to give them some air and watered them.  Hope they're not too wet now  ;D

[supernan]

 ;) I had trouble with my first lot of squash/pumpkins. Only about 50% came up.

Am doing better with second lot, Gardeners World are running a trial and I got two lots of seeds, Crown Prince and Hundredweight. About 75% are up!!!

First lot I just plonked in (serves me right) second lot soaked in tepid water overnight, then placed all seeds on their sides. Apparently this stops them rotting or going squishy.

I find you need to be determined and have another go when things go wrong with this gardening lark!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've got a nice lot of outdoor cucumbers coming up. I've always had trouble with slugs biting the stems off when I plant them out, so I probably need to grow them on a bit more under glass this year.

[Looby Loo]

I'm very new to all this (only had my lottie for about 3 weeks).  I planted courgettes indoors as soon as I got my lottie.  The Gold Rush came up after about 2 weeks but the green ones (can't remember what they were) are just starting to come through.  They were headed for the bin until I had a poke to find out what was going on.  I'd definitely recommend a poke if you're worried.

[ina]

I've got a nice lot of outdoor cucumbers coming up. I've always had trouble with slugs biting the stems off when I plant them out, so I probably need to grow them on a bit more under glass this year.

Slugs biting the stems off? Could it be cut worms? Slugs usually go for the tender leaves don't they? Maybe you should have a little scratch around the plants to find out, cut worms live near the surface of the soil. A collar around the seedlings will do the trick against cut worms. I used rings cut from plastic drink cups, cut 5cm wide, pushed about 3cm into the soil and leave 2cm above.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I don't think its cut worms; it's happened to plants in pots which I left outside as well, and I've regularly found slug or snail slime on the damage.

[ina]

Ah, I see. Such a bummer to have a seedling you took care of for weeks be chopped off. Throw pellets at the slugs?

[gunnerbee]

they have had a go at some of my pumpkin, melon, cucumber leaves too,
i tend to throw slug pellets round the base of the grow bag, stop the devils getting on it.

[Mothy]

I too have had success with Johnson's Black Beauty courgettes and my Burpless tasty green cuc's have been 100%. My Butternuts have been poor though, only 2 from 5 and one of those looks weak.

Sweetcorn seems to be my biggest problem! Just about to re-sow,,,,think I may have sown them too early in my haste! Only 8 from 36  :-[

[kitty]

my butternuts have been a disaster!none at all! :(
i've got black beauty too-100% pumpkins are all fine-getting their second leaves-but they are a bit mottled and the edges of the leaves are very pale..... ???
does everyone keep some seedlings back for the odd slug related disaster -or do you all throw slug pellets about?
kitty :D

[Svea]

my black beauties are at their third true leave and already have grown a tiny baby flower :o

and my butternuts are finally through - as i had such trouble with the germination i repotted them into single pots, rather than pinching out all but one.
i hope they take kindly to the root disturbance :-\

[Robert_Brenchley]

I hate using slug pellets. I used to use them in my cold frames, but these days I have a multistory effort and put anything vulnerable upstairs.