courgettes & cucumbers

[Crystalmoon]

Hi its my first time growing courgettes & cucumbers so Ive got a basic question about whether I need to do anything to the flowers to assist pollination or do I just let nature do it for me?
Some of my courgettes are at my allotment & they havent got any flowers yet but the two of the same variety I have at home in my garden in pots have loads of flowers developing.
My cucumbers are in pots in a plastic greenhouse so more like a cold frame, they are very small but starting to flower. The other day a bee was right inside one of the cucumber flowers.

Sorry if this is a silly question  :D

[Crystalmoon]

[tim]

Silly? NO!!
Courgettes & Cucumbers cope on their own.
In pots earlier than others? Because they are short on food & try to set flowers before they die?

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks for the warning about my potted courgettes needing feeding...they were all sown at the same time & hardened off etc together before I transplanted some into the ground at my allotment (then we had the cold weather) & left 2 in the plastic greenhouse. I was assuming the allotment plants were held back by the cold spell...would never have considered plants in pots rushing their growth due to lack of food. Will feed them today. Thanks 

[Robert_Brenchley]

They probably need planting out, unless the pots are pretty big.

[PurpleHeather]

I agree with the above.

Some one who says he is an expert told me that I should remove the first male flower from the courgette so that they get extra strength in the root to make more courgettes later on.

I have never done this and have had more than I can give away let alone eat in the past.

Cucumbers are more tender, some varieties will even die off if they get slightly chilled. Check your seed packet for details (of growing on). Again one expert has told me to remove all but one cucumber at a time from the plant and to use a cotton bud to make sure of pure fertilisation.

There is always an expert with all sorts of wonderful advice about picking off bits here and there with gardening.

If in doubt, or, I am given a plant I do not know anything about. I refer to one of the seed sellers who advertise on line because they usually give the growing on advice for the plant on their site too.  They will want you to succeed with their produce so that you come back for more.

[Crystalmoon]

I was hoping to keep two in pots so I can compare yields to the ones on my allotment this year. The pots are very large. I will post a message asking if anyone has grown successfully in pots etc.
Thanks