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Hi all,

Just wondering if I should take the flowers off the developing fruit or not? Some of them seem to get a bit soggy

Also is a marrow just a big courgette? Found a huge one lurking today that I'd missed!  ;D

Thanks, Lushy x

I always leave my flowers on there..... don't know if that's right but never hada problem...

and yes a marrow is a mature courgette.....

:-*

Thanks Jokerman  ;)

Sometimes, if excessively wet, the flower can start to rot and spread into the courgette... then it is worth wiping it off to prevent this happening...  :-\

thanks saddad, and what about the cukes? is it just the male flowers I take off or should I remove the ones that have the little hairy babies too?  ;D

Lushy x

Depends on your cucumbers, I grow old white open pollinated ones like White wonder, where you don't remove any flowers. Whatever you've got don't remove the "babies"  :o  :o

with my pumpkins & courgetts i always fertilise the female flowers (good to get it over and done with so more energy goes towards fruit then the flower). i cut all the petals off too this stops them getting soggy then when the flower is ready to come off it will with a very gently twist. i only do it because i have had courgetts get rotten because the the flower has folded somehow and didnt have enough air to circulate.

Thank you, I'll do as you suggest Johnny.  I can't remember what cucumbers I've got but they are not doing very well anyway - theres always next year I guess.

Lushy x

No, a marrow is not a mature courgette.  A courgette-sized marrow will not be as nice as a courgette, and a marrow-sized courgette will not be as interesting as a marrow.  The different varieties have been bred for different characteristics.