Cutting back rampant courgette /sqaush

[Philbasford]

I made th mistake of putting far to much in the green house and accidently putting two courgette plants in, can i safely cut some of the leaves of without damaging the plant?

The GH is completely overgrown, chilli plants are being overtaken, the lone melon plant is finding it hard going and you cant see the path!

[Philbasford]

[antipodes]

I am surprised that you wouldn't put courgette outside? they are reasonably hardy, every one  in my neck of teh woods puts them outdoors. Is that an option?

[GRACELAND]

put it out side  ;D

[Philbasford]

Oh ive got plenty in the allotment

Trouble was i got them erm mixed with up with the squash and pumpkin plants when they was younger.

However have got a pumpkin plant in there!!

[aj]

I'd dig out ALL the courgettes and pumpkins and get them outside; they will completely take over your greenhouse when it should be for toms and peppers and the like.

[Philbasford]

I'd dig out ALL the courgettes and pumpkins and get them outside; they will completely take over your greenhouse when it should be for toms and peppers and the like.

I think its a bit late for that, they have gone rather large and are fruiting, i didnt mean to do it like this lol,

I blame the OH who planted such plants along with cucumber (which seem to have been a bad year for them!)only one of the original cucumber plant has survived and is now flowering, the ones outside seem to be doing ok now.

Also

With all the extra marrows i am going to be gettig i shall be making lots of marrow/lemon curd ;)

[Old bird]

I grow black forest climbing courgettes specifically for the poltunnel as they take up much less space if you can get them going vertically and they last so much longer I was picking one courgette a day from early June this year and last year picked the odd ones up until October so they do really well if you have the space or grow them upwards (unless they are bush varieties!)

O B  :D

[caroline7758]

Cut them off at the base and compost them? :-X

Seriously, if you've got plenty outside, why let your toms and peppers suffer?

[artichoke]

In the past I have hacked off many squash leaves to let daylight through and see what they are producing. Once they get away like that, thy don't seem to miss a few huge leaves.

[Jeannine]

I think you need to bite the bullet and get rid of them, you are asking for mildew problems if they are packed in so tight and still will be growing. I would get  holes ready outside,  big ones,  fill them with water,then dig the plants  up one by one with a big rootball , chuck a small handful of organic fertiliser in the holes and plant them .If they make it, you have a bonus, but if you leave them you stand to lose too much, pulling off the leaves might help but you might lose them anyway so I would try outside,certainly I would get the pumpkin out for sure. I have moved squash while fruiting with fairly good success.

How big is the greenhouse?

XX Jeannine