Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Chatting on the Plot => Topic started by: New shoot on August 19, 2018, 21:29

Title: Why did I say that ...
Post by: New shoot on August 19, 2018, 21:29
I worry myself on a regular basis, but yesterday about takes the biscuit.  We all know about gluts, we all know what everyone is trying to palm off every year, so someone please explain why I thought it was a good idea to exclaim 'Oh I only have1 courgette to pick' at the plot yesterday. 

Ears pricked up, grins broke out on the faces of those around me and guess who was smiling offered courgettes by all and sundry.  When I said I had plenty now thanks, someone else sparked up about taking them for the chickens  :ohmy:  Cue even bigger grins and more of them, even the monsters people were trying to pretend they hadn't seen and then they didn't have to worry about them.

OH rolled his eyes when I got home, the chickens are gorged and won't look at more and I still have several lurking under the sink.  Me and my big mouth  :lol:
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: sunshineband on August 20, 2018, 08:27
 :lol: :lol: :lol:  You let yourself in for it there alright. didn't you?  :lol: :lol: :lol:

At least the chickens are happy. The ones on our site are full to bursting as those gargantuan "lurkers" seem to find their way to their enclosure from far and wide. We have a new family arrived on a plot near mine so I welcomed them with a small gift.. yes, courgettes. They were very happy to have them  :nowink: Wonder how long that will last??
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: mumofstig on August 20, 2018, 08:47
 :lol: :lol: Silly billy  ;)
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: New shoot on August 20, 2018, 10:18
We have a new family arrived on a plot near mine so I welcomed them with a small gift.. yes, courgettes. They were very happy to have them  :nowink: Wonder how long that will last??

Give it a week or two and they will be running away screaming  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: mrs bouquet on August 20, 2018, 14:13
And why did they all have more Courgettes than you anyway  (More plants ?)   :D  Mrs Bouquet
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: 8doubles on August 20, 2018, 15:45
Courgettes in supermarkets have a strange effect on me !
They make me laugh !
Some people actually buy them ! :)
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: 8doubles on August 20, 2018, 15:53
Removed the dead leaves from the Courg this morning , coiled the 3 metre runner around the pot (so Polestar is not as compact as advertised) reckon another three or four fruit and it will be off to the heap !

Luckily none of my neighbours grow them!
And no thankyou i do not want any posted to me ! ;)
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: Lardman on August 20, 2018, 16:17
I managed just 1 courgette this year before the plants gave notice and it was 6" if that.  That's 1 courgette from 4 defender F1 plants.  It would have been significantly cheaper for me to buy them rather than the seeds.

I am aware that when you can't grow courgettes it's time to hang up the fork and hoe and find another pass time.  :nowink:

Perhaps pushing boulders up hills?
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: mumofstig on August 20, 2018, 16:41
It's been a funny old year, weather wise - so I'm blaming that.
Of my 2 courgette plants, only one is producing a few 'gettes now and again. T'other plant has had not a single female flower so far  :wacko:

So I've not been overrun with them, and have enjoyed all I've picked - it's made a nice change tbh  :D
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: JayG on August 20, 2018, 16:59
If I'm out in the garden and hear my neighbour's car pull up I dash into the greenhouse to pick a handful or two of tomatoes (absolutely inundated with them this year, and getting sick of making tomato sauces already.)

When I hand them over I always ask 'and would you like a courgette or two with them?'  ::)

The answer has always been yes up to now (being veggies helps but their little girl claims to only like eating spaghetti!  :lol:)
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: New shoot on August 21, 2018, 09:02
And no thankyou i do not want any posted to me ! ;)

... and another fine plan is dashed before it starts  ::)  Oh well, sounds like MoS could be on the mailing list and Larders too  :lol:

but their little girl claims to only like eating spaghetti!  :lol:)

Self defence I reckon  ;) Sees kindly orangutan from next door approaching, knows his smile disguises the fact he has courgettes about his person and takes evasive action.  Smart kid  :lol:
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: JayG on August 21, 2018, 09:37
but their little girl claims to only like eating spaghetti!  :lol:)

Self defence I reckon  ;) Sees kindly orangutan from next door approaching, knows his smile disguises the fact he has courgettes about his person and takes evasive action.  Smart kid  :lol:

Maybe not that smart - seem to remember seeing a recipe for courgette spaghetti somewhere!  :lol:
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: Aidy on August 21, 2018, 09:49
If my chooks could kill they probably would of killed me by now, I slipped up and said I feed mine with the odd overgrown one, turned up after hols to a box full of overgrown courgettes  :ohmy: and more keep appearing, fortunatley my compost bin is always hungry  8)
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: New shoot on August 22, 2018, 10:24
Well you are all safe for the moment as I made a huge batch of courgette and tomato sauce yesterday.  The chickens will speak to me again and the evidence is all hidden in the freezer, except for 1 tub which is on the menu later.

I still have no answer to the poor soul on our site who has planted several pattypans.  They are getting plaintive as we all dodge them and lurking spaceships slowly but surely take over.  I did take one home for the chooks, but they refused to even look at it  :lol:
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: snow white on August 22, 2018, 11:12
Courgettes are quite dear in the shops.  About 50p each. :ohmy:
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: New shoot on August 22, 2018, 14:42
Courgettes are quite dear in the shops.  About 50p each. :ohmy:

They are very popular as well.  We sell 1kg bags at work and they fly out  :ohmy:  If the people who buy them poked their heads in the allotment gate, they would be loaded with the things in seconds  :lol:

Maybe a network like Landshare,  but for courgettes might just work  :unsure:  We can add tomatoes as well to help JayG out  ;)

Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: Yorkie on August 28, 2018, 18:06
I made a huge batch of courgette and tomato sauce yesterday. 

Do you have a particular recipe? Sounds lovely  :)
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: New shoot on August 29, 2018, 11:22
I made a huge batch of courgette and tomato sauce yesterday. 

Do you have a particular recipe? Sounds lovely  :)

Nope - just a variation on my usual tomato sauce recipe, but its easy and tasty and makes an awful lot of courgettes just go away  :lol:


Cook onion and garlic in olive oil in a large, deep pan and add cubed courgettes.  When that lot gets cooked down a little, add skinned tomatoes, seasoning and herbs.  Reduce the resulting pan full by half in volume.

Freezes wonderfully as the courgettes are already pretty pulpy, but full of flavour, so you don't think 'urgh - soggy frozen courgettes' when you reheat it  :)
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: Yorkie on August 29, 2018, 16:21
Fab, thanks yum yum  :D
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: JayG on August 29, 2018, 17:25
I actually make mine using pretty much the same ingredients, but halve and roast the tomatoes in a low oven, then add the sweated down garlic and onion, blend smooth with a stick blender then add fried diced courgette and chopped herbs (usually parsley but that's mainly because I've usually got more of that than basil.)

Don't know whether part roasting the tomatoes actually improves the flavour, but it does take away the long wait for it to reduce down and wondering whether it's going to start sticking to the pan.
Title: Re: Why did I say that ...
Post by: Yorkie on August 29, 2018, 17:44
That sounds really tasty too, JayG (though I don't have any tomatoes I can roast … hmmm … )