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I just harvested a massive courgette. Not sure how I missed it until it got so big! Trouble is we are going away and I won't be able to do anything with it for a week and a half. What's the best way to make it last? In the fridge? Or in a cool place? Or will I have to cut it up and freeze it?
Thanks

It might do ten days in a cool place or the fridge. If you've the time, you could start making it into a basic ratatouille-type sauce (garlic, onions, tomatoes), cook for 30 minutes and freeze that to finish at your leisure! That's what we end up doing with lots of our courgettes and beans anyway.

I would not worry too much. If your courgettes plants are healthy and you are away for a week and a half you will likely have half a dozen of similar size waiting to be harvested on your return. So if the worst happens and this one doesn't keep you are unlikely to miss out.

They really are amazingly productive and grow rapidly at this time of year. In the past few weeks almost every plot holder including myself starts conversation by issuing a cheery "good day" followed by "would you like some courgettes?" 

Quote from: Beersmith on July 31, 2018, 21:04:57
I would not worry too much. If your courgettes plants are healthy and you are away for a week and a half you will likely have half a dozen of similar size waiting to be harvested on your return. So if the worst happens and this one doesn't keep you are unlikely to miss out.

They really are amazingly productive and grow rapidly at this time of year. In the past few weeks almost every plot holder including myself starts conversation by issuing a cheery "good day" followed by "would you like some courgettes?"

That is a really good point!

Take it with you?  Any attempts I've made at pickling or freezing courgettes haven't been very satisfactory ... but freezing is definitely better!  I imagine dehydrating slices would be even better if you really wanted to keep it.

But the advice you've already had is right, when I'm going away for a week or so I make sure to pick off even the tiny courgettes developing ... the plant will make more right up until it succumbs to mildew in September, and if you allow one to turn in to a marrow, the plant will put all its resources in to making seeds and stop fruiting.  This is also good advice for peas and cucumbers.

Will keep on the windowsill or the kitchen worktop no issue.  Enjoy your time off

Quote from: squeezyjohn on July 31, 2018, 23:03:39
Take it with you?  Any attempts I've made at pickling or freezing courgettes haven't been very satisfactory ... but freezing is definitely better! 

Take a leaf from PaulH's post - even just adding onions (garlic?) and frying them for 5 or 10 min will do wonders - and the result also takes less space in the freezer (not to mention the fact that the bag can be squeezed into any shape for odd spaces).

Veg-as-nearly-meals always come out of the freezer tasting 100% as they went in (and they can become the base for some kind of ratatoulli, or you can add meat) - whereas eg. uncooked green beans, mangetout,  come out either poor or actually unpleasant, even raw tomatoes can be a bit 'funny'. I've found the only raw stuff that freezes well is stuff with a hard skin on it - sweetcorn, broad beans and other bean seeds - and pea seeds of course - but why bother with them? - frozen peas are cheaper and better - I consider it a sin to even cook my own peas - they all get eaten raw (though I do stir fry any mangetout past their best).

Cheers.

Too late now, but as a squash best left in a bright sunny place to bake the skin... or find someone with guinea pigs or other small animals to eat i :wave:t!