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Hi all

I am really keen to grow some climbing courgette varieties this year and have read about Black Forrest and Sprinter, both of which climb.  I have searched the web and T&M do Black Forest but I am reluctant to order just this one item and then pay P&P.  So, the cheeky question is - does anyone have any spare seeds they would be willing to send?  If not then it is fine and dandy - just thought I'd try on nthe off chance.  Let me know - and also, any additional tips are appreciated!

Psi

Pop down to your local cheap supermarket and for less than the cost of a postage stamp you will get a packet of courgette seeds which grown on a compost heap will provide you with all the courgettes and marrows you can eat.

lidl... Aldi...  Netto. ... B&M..

I havent got loads of space for trailing courgettes so if anyone has ideas on climbing ones I'd be grateful....any ideas??

Cheers, Psi

hope this helps,trailing variaties are referred to as *bush* variaties,and the climbing ones as *vine* but i bet you already knew that
rach
x

Hi PSi

I grow the Black Forest ones - unfortunately I have used up last years' seed for this year so don't have any spare!

They don't actually climb or appear to hang on I just lump them ofer string which leads them upwards and when they are near the top they point downwards!!!

Having said that last year I had courgettes from June to October minimum of 1 a day from them (2 plants) I had them in the polytunnel and they were totally brilliant as no slugs or other nasties climbed on over or through the courgettes!

This year I am going to rig up some wooden poles to help them "climb" to see if that makes it a bit easier for them!


If you do buy the seed you could keep half for next year and sell off a couple of plants to pay for them!


Old Bird

;D

yes we are a family of 4 so a couple of climbers and then a couple of trailers would probably be fine - thanks alot, I'll get ordering! Thanks!

hi psi. I might have some spare Black Forest seed at home, meant to have a look for you last night but forgot ::) don't hit that order button just yet!!!

Ok brill!  Have you done them before?  if so, any good?

nope, was going to try them for the first time this year, so I've got no idea what they're like. I tried bush courgettes last year and the year before and the bl**dy slugs nibbled them right down to little stumps, so I'm hoping if I try climbers the slugs will just slime on by. fingers crossed!

Quote from: Psi on April 07, 2009, 12:15:32
yes we are a family of 4 so a couple of climbers and then a couple of trailers would probably be fine - thanks alot, I'll get ordering! Thanks!

a word of caution we are a family of five and due to horror stories about courgette gluts i thought i would be sensible last year and grew three different varieties 2 tennis ball types, a yellow and a regular green IE four in all, well we were eating courgettes in all forms and fashions till they were coming out of ears :-X ;) actually we are still eating courgettes in the form of chutneys, i googled chutney glut and the amount of different recipes that i found was staggering, so you might want to revise the number of plants you plan to grow :D.

I wish we would get a courgette glut!  I'm seriously addicted to them and yet we never have enough.  :(
All started well last year and they were great. We were picking several a week and then suddenly  they started to go soft and mushy before they got to a size we could pick. That was it, not more courgettes.

Maybe because I had them in large buckets on the patio in the sun. I was watering them daily and they never seemed sopping but maybe they didn't like it.  ???

That sounds like a lack of pollination cheerfulness,... do it yourself this time...  :)

Do you think, saddad? I've been reading up on pollinating them yourself so I'll give that a try if it looks like this years is going the same way. Thanks.  ;)

Another trick is to tear the petals on the lower edge to stop the flowers filling with water in wet weather....  :)

yes last year's wet weather i found reduced the amount of bees that were around and i also had to do a lot of self pollinating, i also used to go out everyday and punch a hole at the base of the lowest petal, that way if it rained the water would drain away and the pollen could remain relatively dry for any pollinators that did make a visit. I'm hoping this year would be different :-\.

I've had to start writing all these handy little tips down because I've a dreadful memory - even remembering where the thread with the info was.  :)

Much obliged. Have now got higher hopes for this season. A glut will be mine!  ;D

Quote from: cheerfulness on April 10, 2009, 09:47:38
I've had to start writing all these handy little tips down because I've a dreadful memory - even remembering where the thread with the info was.  :)

Much obliged. Have now got higher hopes for this season. A glut will be mine!  ;D

i save them in my favorites under the folder A4A hot tips :D

Quote from: thifasmom on April 10, 2009, 08:21:07
yes last year's wet weather i found reduced the amount of bees that were around and i also had to do a lot of self pollinating, i also used to go out everyday and punch a hole at the base of the lowest petal, that way if it rained the water would drain away and the pollen could remain relatively dry for any pollinators that did make a visit. I'm hoping this year would be different :-\.

Well if it's any consolation........I am in Lordswood - (just up the hill from you) and my courgettes weren't great last year either!   Usually i'm giving them away wholesale!

Louise

Quote from: louise stella on April 10, 2009, 17:09:50

Quote from: thifasmom on April 10, 2009, 08:21:07
yes last year's wet weather i found reduced the amount of bees that were around and i also had to do a lot of self pollinating, i also used to go out everyday and punch a hole at the base of the lowest petal, that way if it rained the water would drain away and the pollen could remain relatively dry for any pollinators that did make a visit. I'm hoping this year would be different :-\.

Well if it's any consolation........I am in Lordswood - (just up the hill from you) and my courgettes weren't great last year either!   Usually i'm giving them away wholesale!

Louise

last year was the first time i grew courgettes and didn't do to badly even though the weather was dire, good thing too cause if the weather was great we probably would have drowned in the d**n things. i promise this year NO MORE than three plants ;). i'm just hoping the weather plays nice this time allowing the tough crops to just get on with it and so i won't have to molly coddle every living plant/ crop. ::)

Quote from: thifasmom on April 10, 2009, 08:21:07
also used to go out everyday and punch a hole at the base of the lowest petal, that way if it rained the water would drain away and the pollen could remain relatively dry for any pollinators that did make a visit. \.

Thanks for the tip I'd never thought of doing that, but as you say hopefully this year we won't have to mollycoddle them so much!