Allotments 4 All

As a first-time courgette grower, I was over the moon to find the most gorgeous lily-like blooms this morning on both my plants, a Yellow Taxi and a green Ambassador. There hasn't been much sun here the last couple of days, so how do I ensure pollination? Do I have to do it myself? Any tips?

I've never had to do anything to get courgettes to fruit. Well done for even getting flowers this year- mine are nowhere near!

I normally pollinated the first few just to be sure. Just a tiny bit from a male flower into the female (the one with the little courgette behind)

Once the pollen beetles arrive then I leave it to them.

Here a pic from a few years ago.  They have not arrived yet this year.

Hey, thanks a mil for that. I've just used my lovely girlfriend's lipstick brush to hand pollinate the yellow courgette. It's raining out so the pollen wasn't evident, but I did it a few times so I hope I got some onto the female. The male flowers haven't opened yet on my green courgette plant. I'm hoping that'll happen over the weekend. Cheers! ;D

I do believe courgettes don't need to pollinate in order to grow. That's why I use courgette.males for pollinate straight into squash etc as they always have.lots of pollen.on and are not otherwise needed.

Quote from: notts_phil on July 01, 2012, 08:41:10
I do believe courgettes don't need to pollinate in order to grow. That's why I use courgette.males for pollinate straight into squash etc as they always have.lots of pollen.on and are not otherwise needed.

Depends on the variety I think.  The courgettes we grew last year said on the seed packet that hand pollination was needed if grown indoors otherwise nature would take care of it.

We had 12 plants last year, only 2 have grown anywhere near flowering so far, although both of those had 3 flowers each yesterday.

First flower on mine yesterday! Lovely bright yellow- half an hour later after the thunderstorm, pattered with mud! And I bet the tiny courgette behind it will have been slugged by today! :(

There are courgettes which do not need to be polinated, but others simply start to rot at the blossom end if not polinated.  The bees and beetles normally do a good job, but I do not like to loose those first few courgettes. 

FromT&M website

QuoteCourgette 'Parthenon' has a parthenocarpic habit, meaning it has the ability to set fruit without pollination

There are others. Cavili is another so is good for producing early fruits.