Courgette Carnage!

[miniroots]

I am determined to one day eat a courgetter that I have grown myself...  but after failure last year and the year before, this year is also not looking too hopeful.

The plants have done better this year and I did transplant 4 healthy looking plantlets from home - I think in June.  The slugs have been having a party and have ransacked 2 (one of which was actually developing a courgette - which got to a whole 2" before it disappeared over night).  The other two are just about recovering and starting to put on new growth - one had 2 very healthy big flowers (both male!) a week or so ago, and has stopped growing since then.  The other is a huge mass of foliage, but shows no signs of flowering -

what can I do??

With either of them.  How can I make the flowering one grow more foliage, and how can I make the leafy one flower?

Will I get a courgette this year?
SOphie

[miniroots]

[caroline7758]

Sorry, courgettes are the one thing I've never had a problem with, except for getting too many! I grow mine through black plastic, but that might make matters worse if you have a lt of slugs. Hopefully someone will be along soon with more helpful advice!

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

maybe you could try growing them in a large tub if slugs are a problem with you.

[saddad]

Most of my squash are in the same boat but we have had a courgette... usually have buckets full by the end of July!
:-[

[Larkshall]

This season is unusual, weatherwise. I have had one courgette as the rest have either rotted or been eaten by slugs.

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

To reduce slug damage you could try watering in the morning and not in the evening, not that that applies just now

for us, we don't usually get slug problems, on the plot anyway. The problem areas are near the edge where the next plot is overgrown, and around the compost bins. Maybe putting susceptible plamts as far away from any slug hot-spots might help, like slap-bang in the middle. Also away from things that get naturally weedy, like peas, or which produce a lot of foliage, like potatoes

it's been a bad year for slugs, Idon't think they're even bothering to hide away in the daytime anymore

[caroline7758]

I haven't watered mine at all this year- thought the ground was wet enough , and the plastic keeps it moist. They even did well in the drought last year.

[Lesley Jay]

My courgettes have been a disaster this year. I had lovely healthy plants that were starting to produce courgettes, so I did manage to cut a few but then the rain started and it has been cold aswell. They just stopped growing. I guess they were drowned.

[aob9]

It's not a good year at all for courgettes, so don't be hard on yourself. It is far too cool and damp for a good crop. I have had a few from mine but I have to cut them small before the rot works it's way back from the flowering end.One way to avoid this is to remove the flower as quickly as possible as this is where the rot sets in.

[mc55]

I'm getting a handful everytime I go up, but have 8 plants this year, whereas last year I had just 4 and was giving them away by the armful every couple fo days.  Very different this year.

[Suzanne]

I agree, a very bad year for courgettes, I haven't even got tired of eatng them yet! Also my outside cucumbers have done pretty appalling. A few lemon cuc's from seed exchange earlier in the year (chloe I think) are not too bad - but only 1 marketmore cuc has survived. Last year I gave loads of cucmbers away and pickled them. Ah well next years bound to be a scorcher!

[theothermarg]

this is the 1st year i have grown them. after a slow start when only 1 seedling survived i did a swopsy with barnowl who sent 4 kinds(thanks again) which are doing well  ;D i do think people are avoiding me now for fear they will be landed with another marrow :-[ don,t they grow quick i have just got the 1st one from 1 called ugly yellow i love it. i,ll have to try squashes next year i think
marg (another thing i am chuffed with)

[miniroots]

Thanks for the encouragement.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for this year and try again next year...

I will not be beaten!!