[Marcus10]

Hello I am new to this forum and a bit of a novice to growing my own veg.

In my excitement I started my courgettes too early for planting out yet, in a heated greenhouse, so I decided to pot two of them in 20inch pots for moving out later. 'Ureka' when I went into the greenhouse this morning and found the first opened flower. The problem is it is female i.e has a mini fruit behind it, but how can I fertilize it. V cold at the moment so not many insects in the closed greenhouse and no open male flowers. Everywhere I read on google it says that the males open first. A stupid question I am sure, but can I fertilize it with pollen from say a tomato or a cucumber fruit? Or do I have to just say good bye to the fruit until I have both male and female flowers open.

On another issue I found some signs of red spider mite on one of the leaves but I think(!!! ) that I have eradicated the problem. I cannot find any eggs, having inspected labouriously all the leaves on every plant for the last few days. I have sprayed any sign of webbing around the greenhouse with Vitax organic 2 in one (fish plus plant oils) and will remain vigilant. However I have come across some eggs, mainly underneath leaves, on some Toms and some Aubergines. They are very pale green almost white coloured and round and approx the size of a pin head i.e small. Has anyone got any ideas on what they are likely to be.? I keep squishing a few each day.

[Totty]

It does not matter if your courgette is inside or outside, until you have male and female flowers you will get no fruit. When you have both types open at the same time you can pick the male flower off, take off the petals and insert the inside of the male flower into the female. Thats how i do it for melons anyhow, should work for courgettes

[Marcus10]

Thanks, I thouiht that would be the case. I attempted to self pollinate a few last year. I was taken by surpride that the first flower to open was female. Perhaps with a bit of luck a male one will open in the next few days.

[compostqueen]

Note to self. Don't sow too early!  When you plant out courgettes they should still be small 

I don't go in for any of this hand pollinating stuff and let them get on with it. I still get zillions of courgettes