[mkhenry]

This is so you can plan ahead as to where to plant your courgettes next season
A little early but something to think about.

If you have poor or just sandy soil you can do the usual mound etc.,but you may like to give this a try instead.

Take a cheap plastic bucket and make a series of holes all around it about 2" from the bottom and another series of holes 4" from the top.The holes should be about the size of a large pencil.
  Place it in a hole up to its neck and pack the soil around it.
Then plant your courgettes (four would be best)in a circle around it.About a 3ft or 1m circle would be fine.
Then fill the bucket with horse manure,and always water the plants by pouring it into the bucket.This will ensure that the nutrients get to work their magic.
You will almost certainly get a bumber crop.
You will have the added benefit of catching a few slugs and other pests.

This does not work so well on heavy clay soils or for marrows.

[mkhenry]

Yes I do know that a courgette is a marrow but it will not feed the larger fruits on all 4 plants.Its best to pick them small and often.

[sweet nasturtium]

Why won't this work on clay soil please??

[DD.]

Why won't this work on clay soil please??

The water would not soak into the soil as well, just sit there in the bucket, I would imagine!

[DD.]

You could always grow your courgette IN the bucket!

[GrannieAnnie]

Yeah DD but you'd really only get 1 courgette plant per bucket wouldn't you?

[WG.]

Leave the bucket on the surface.  It'll still work.

[DD.]

Yeah DD but you'd really only get 1 courgette plant per bucket wouldn't you?

Well buy 4 buckets, then & follow 4 horses with your shovel!

[Aidy]

We have the poor horrible soil you talk about but dispense with the bucket and just dig a pit, fill it with both muck and shredded paper, feed it once every 2 weeks with tom food and your horrible courgette plants will produce far too many fruits, even giving them to your mates will make you an enemy.  

[gobs]

your horrible courgette plants will produce far too many fruits, even giving them to your mates will make you an enemy.  

How well said      

[mkhenry]

Leave the bucket on the surface.  It'll still work.

I have done this in the past but it becomes very unsightly very quickly,and seems to attract flys etc. :?
Plus unless well staked it will blow over in any high winds.

[mkhenry]

Why won't this work on clay soil please??

The water would not soak into the soil as well, just sit there in the bucket, I would imagine!

Quite right Digger it needs a loose soil in order to work.Also in a clay soil the hole seem to block up.

[mkhenry]

We have the poor horrible soil you talk about but dispense with the bucket and just dig a pit, fill it with both muck and shredded paper, feed it once every 2 weeks with tom food and your horrible courgette plants will produce far too many fruits, even giving them to your mates will make you an enemy.  

That is the normal way on poor soil and it does work.The hint was for another also sucessful way

[sweet nasturtium]

Thanks everyone.  I'll try it next year.  Only got about 5-10 per plant this year.