Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: allaboutliverpool on April 17, 2007, 17:22:55
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I have just transferred my courgettes to bigger pots ino my homemade greenhouse as I dare not plant them out yet.
Photo on:-
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_courgettes.html
I should be interested to know what others have done. I might do a trial and put two out as I have plenty.
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mine have not popped though yet :(
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My first sowing is nearly ready to pot on-but I wouldn`t plant out for say three weeks yet and then only if you can give them cloche protection
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I did on Sunday XX Jeannine
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Well Jeannine, you seem to be the expert, so two will definitely go out tomorrow without protection although I will be ready with a bit of fleece if frost or gale is forecast.
By the way are you planning to take over the sports ground with all your squashes?
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Note to self - get round to sowing courgettes :)
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Gosh you two are brave. I just potted on my squashes and courgettes last night to make room for more sowings in the trays.... No. 2 lot of squashes went in today but the potted on ones looked HUGE this morning. I was getting worried about when to plant them out but I'll not worry too much if you guys have yours out - have plenty of fleece available to cover!
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Mine are still in their packets........ ;D
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Olive Oil, please don't take this as the rule, I always out some out very early,my winer ones too,I have backups. I get away with it most times but it catches me out sometimes,and they are under cloches. The winters are going out this weekend, but they will be on their own,too many for cloches, and I am planting more just in case. Sometimes I am able to get the long growing ones to a full harvest if I take the chance.
XX Jeannine
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I put 5 courgette plants out yesterday - then heard about the change in weather! Oh well, we'll have to keep fingers crossed :)
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I would say that it is far too early to put out semi-tropical plants outside, with the high probability of frosts in the next few weeks, with the possible exception of the South West. Mine will be under cover for the next five or six weeks, before going outside. Most failures that I see on other plots, are because they are put out far, far too early.
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Sowed mine on Sunday....no sign yet ::) ;D
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You are dead right Real Food but I have been growing squash for 30 years and to get some of the ones I grow I have to take the gamble.I do not suggest to anyone else that they do so unless they see it as a gamble too. It will catch you out at some point and to me it is worth it. XX Jeannine
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Will be waiting a few weeks yet before I sow them, mid may most likely!
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only just sown them ;)
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Oops I was so excited to plant anything I now have a tiny (cold) greenhouse which is full of courgettes, tomatos and cucumbers that are getting far too big, too soon! Think I'll have to just try them in as warm a place as I can find and plant some more later on to try again :(
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I potted mine up today into 5" pots but will wait a few weeks yet before they go out.
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During May, depending on the Weather, I will transfer my semi-tropical plants to my cold frame to harden them off before planting out in early June.
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It looks to me like a hare and tortoise situation with sensible conservative people waiting their time and the impetuous like me heading for a fall.
It seems to me that this site is a fertile source of information for someone wanting to rewrite the planting guides.
Perhaps there is a method of doing this, over to you Dan?
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We have three really good courgette plants (Parthenon) for growing in tubs indoors.
It is only mid-April, and here in North Staffs, in recent years we have been having quite severe frosts into early June.
Courgette seed is quite expensive, so I don't think I would risk putting any plants outside here for at least another five/six weeks.
valmarg
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I think that a good gardener is someone that knows the risks, the consequences and the rewards. If the plants are surplus to vital requirements there can be great rewards from taking a chance with early planting. Newcomers should err on the side of caution to avoid dissapointment as should anyone trying to grow anything rare or expensive.
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Not sown yet. Still in packets. Was hoping to get them sown this weekend.
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Mine are just showing through the compost. Probably 5 weeks before they go outside.
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Mine were sown tonight - both summer and winter squashes. Not all, will probably sow a few more once these have poked their heads up.
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I am in Manchester and as it has been so mild, I have put four of my lot of courgettes out but covered them with plastic half containers so they have some protection. I have also put some pumpkins out too...
.... will wait another couple of weeks and put the next lot in, am testing to see if they will survive and how they grow.
Have done the same with leeks planted loads indoors and they are about 3" high now and ready to plant into separate pots and I also planted some out direct on the plot at the same time (month or so ago) and they are just showing their tips now. Linda
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Yes but when jeannine says they are under a cloche, what she really means is a baby Polly tunnel, and even that is being unfair. I'd camp under it if it was not see through!
Gary
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I have a cold frame and windowsills, at the moment they are occupied by my tom plants, so squash do not get sown until I get my temp cold frames in place to take the tomato plants. And then I have to wait until early May to sow corgette and squash otherwise we don't get to see out of the windows as they grow so quickly!
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I DO hope that the early birds will report back on progress in June - it would be of great interest.
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just sown mine as they haven't got anywhere to go for about 6 weeks, but i'll be watching this thread with interest, how exciting all this gardening on the edge.
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My courgettes just popped up.
But I did put some melon plants of an unknown variety outside last weekend, but under glass.
The seeds I collected from a fruit I really liked last summer, so they were free.
And the seedlings became too big and a bit leggy. So I reckoned that as they might die at the window sill if I left them there, it would be beter to plant them outside and hope they survive and benefit from a long growing period.
The weather has been fine, upto 24C. No frost expected in the Netherlands for the coming week, at least.
I will report back.
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Blimey you are all eager this year aren't you, just been reading about the beans going outside too.....
having been caught out by a frost at end of May / early June for the past 2 years, I will be sowing mine May Day Bank holiday weekend and hardening off in green house to go out 5 - 6 weeks later....
Not fooled by all this glorious April weather!
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I am amazed by the range of temperatures throughout this country, once again it supports my view that a more detailed guide to planting times is need.
After mentioning that the lowest temp in May last year was 6.5C, I can reveal that the lowest temperature one night, here on the Mersey Riviera in June 2006 was 11.5C.
The last frost this year was the 21st of March. The lowest temperature all winter was -1C on 6th and 7th Feb, the only days in the whole winter when the temperature dropped below 0C.
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some people said they'll sow courgettes in May - I agree squash-family members are quite good late crops.
A couple of years ago I sowed them late just because of general disorganisation. But in late summer they handily went into the spaces vacated by early crops, and I still got quite a good crop off them, until the weather turned in late October.
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Well as a newcomer I seem to have out flanked you all and taken an - unintentional - hari kiri approach.
I planted out five courgette plants in early March! So far one has been taken out by slugs, whilst another is looking in a sorry state. The remaining three were stunned in late March but are now recovering, with one looking quite healthy.
I've just put another set of seedlings in the windowsill, so will see how they progress and plant them out in May. It will be interesting to see which sets do best, and whether the stunned three recover to put in any kind of performance or just get overtaken by the new set.
I'm in a very sunny spot in a sheltered garden in South London, so I think I'm less liable to cold snaps than others. But even so I now realise I was jumping the gun a bit..
I put out some runner beans last weekend - was that a daft thing to do?
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mine just germinated this week.
Growing tri-colour balls (pale green, dark green & yellow), but the seeds were all in the same packet and I don't know how to tell which is which - any ideas ? I sowed all the seeds (x 8) and so far they look identical.
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I put out some runner beans last weekend - was that a daft thing to do?
I'm in London as well. We had some late frost last year and runners really hate frosts - if hit they won't recover. but you can always start again.
I'd keep an eye on the forecast and fleece them up if things look frosty.
http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/frostrisk.asp (http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/frostrisk.asp)
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I have 30 plants sat in pots off the ground on a wooden table, against the house facing south, they have been outside for 2 weeks now. I do cover them with fleece at night. Best I could do as no more room indoors! They seem to be fine, one has a funny yellow rust like stain on a single laf, is this a problem?
Sue
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That was reckless, Somersetlad.
But I did something similar last year with melon seedlings. I lost three out of four, but then put a glass bell cloche over the remaining one. Took it off when the leaves started to touch the glass.
I ended up surprising my neighbour - who had informed me about the impossibility of growing melons outside - with three fully grown melons!
As I am not at all reckless in everyday life, the allotment certainly brings out some of the darker sides of me.
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I have analysed the responses to my question and the answers are as follows
Not sown seeds yet: 10
Sown seeds recently: 5
Sown, showing: 6
Potted on: 5
Planted out: 4
The cautious are outnumbered by the adventurous, but who will have the last laugh?
I hope to follow this up as the weeks progress,
Keep posting, I am going to record this on my site, as I am determined to rewrite the planting guides.
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_courgettes.html
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Well, here's my courgette plant update.... (well, you said keep posting :D )
All germinated in about 5 - 7 days, and they seem to be growing before our very eyes, every time i turn around they're bigger than when i last looked lol :o I've uncovered them, and will pot on once they're a bit bigger (can you tell i've no idea what the heck i'm doing...) ;D
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You are doing just fine, some folks can't germinate them, keep them moist but not wet, get them into 3 inch pots as soon as you can. Keep posting , XX Well done Jeannine
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You know I am really confused. I looked at your site re courgettes and some of the pictures look more like water melon plants.( the more oak leaf ones) I have never seen a variety of courgette with the same foliage as a water melon? XX Jeannine
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I have an array of courgettes, squashes and melons all growing away. Some have only just broken the compost, some are monsters in huge pots. I will still sow some more in May. I will plant out some at the start of May when I do my runners.
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I grew some in my garden last year, but the ends of all the courgettes rotted.
I thought it was because I wasn't removing the dead flowers, I did that, but they still rotted. :(
How do I prevent this from happening?
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(http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allcourgettes_potted_070417.jpg)
The courgettes with round leaves are the French 'Patisson Orange'.
Rotting ends seem to be caused by excess damp or irregular watering.
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_courgettes.html
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I have gone for it!
(http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allcourgettes_plantout_070422.jpg)
Like many others I hve plants in reserve, this is the stage I was at last year on 27th May.
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_courgettes.html
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No the other pictures, on you link, the ones that look like oak leaves, they look like watermelons, These ones are clearly squash
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Jeannine,
I have only planted the following:-
Courgette Black something - Last years packet
Courgette Longue de Nice - New
Courgette Patisson Orange - New
Pumpkin Atlantic Giant - Last years packet
Butternut squash - Last years packet
If you would like some of the new ones, let me know.
I have found a picture of Longue de Nice, they are the cougettes visible which are slightly misshapen with a knobbly end. They always sell at a premium in the markets - 50% more than standard courgettes. This was taken in the Cours Saleya in Nice.
(http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allcourgettes_longuedenice_coursselaya.jpg)
My wife has a Nice site about our studio and life there
http://www.allaboutnice.com
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Hi no, it is none of those ones, I know them. Go to your link on your site about growing courgettes, shown on you first comment here.
Scroll down till you get to the picture which has BIG PLANTS written underneath it,then again a close up just below and to the right of this picture you have put PESTS AND DISEASES. This is the plant I am asking about. Either it a watermelon or something I don't know and I am interested to find out what it is. The foliage is completely different to any of the four squash families.
XX Jeannine
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This one?
(http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allcourgettes_milldew.jpg)
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It is definitely Unwins Black Beauty, Organic courgette.
It came out of the same packet as the three in the raised bed. The difference was that the raised bed had manure and the other was grown on a spare strip at the side. The courgettes were exactly the same.
I have found a photo of the very same plant when younger which shows the later leaves adopting the oak-leaf look.
(http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allcourgettes_oakleaf.jpg)
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mine just germinated this week.
Growing tri-colour balls (pale green, dark green & yellow), but the seeds were all in the same packet and I don't know how to tell which is which - any ideas ? I sowed all the seeds (x 8) and so far they look identical.
Me too ! I hadn,t thought that this would matter really ..until I came to offer a couple to a friend and would like to be sure she gets a yellow and a green one ,and not both yellow ! ::) Rohaise
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The leaves seem so very long and narrow,maybe I need new glasses, I thought you had found a new species there.argh!! I was getting all excited,Thank you XX Jeannine
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Gosh 802 people have come on to this one so far and I am unable to get page three now..the page is unavailable...it says. So i,m off to bed now and will come back to this tomorrow . God Bless All ! Rohaise x
P.S. I.ll be dreaming about courgettes ::)
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I must be extremely reckless 'cos my 2 Orelia courgettes are giant sized in large tubs in a cold greenhouse. I've got embryo fruit showing. If we get a spot of cold weather I shall heave them into the garage overnight. I'm even prepared to bring them indoors. Not sure what my better half will think about that.
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I have risked planting one Goldrush in a large tub outdoors - covered in a double layer of fleece. It's ok so far, but then, with night temperatures not going below 10C at the moment, at least the fleece is keeping the slugs off ;).
Tricia
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Oh mine were not doing so well on the balcony so I stuck them on the plot. I just have two ordinary green courgette types.
I have always found that the problem with courgettes here is stopping them, not getting them going!!! maybe the soil in this area is well suited to them?
Speaking of the weather today it has cooled off and we have some rain which the garden will appreciate no end!
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I have 30 plants sat in pots off the ground on a wooden table, against the house facing south, they have been outside for 2 weeks now. I do cover them with fleece at night. Best I could do as no more room indoors! They seem to be fine, one has a funny yellow rust like stain on a single laf, is this a problem?
Sue
30 plants ! Your going to have a barrow load of gourgettes every day for a few weeks ! I normally plant 4 or 5 plants - and still end up will too many in the end.
I hav'nt started mine yet, normally wait till early / mid may, they really really dont like frost...
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Sowed all of my squash and courgettes on Sunday, first to show this morning is...the tricolour courgettes...who knows which colour! ;D
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Put mine out yesterday. Got fed up with mollycoddling them ::) Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind ;D
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My six have moved to the unheated greenhouse.