[Grubbypaws]

Is any one else having problems germinating their courgettes seeds this year? I am trying to grow Defender F1. The seeds are all new, sown in the same compost as always and put in the same propagator at 20C as every other year but by germination rate is only 50%. I have sourced my seeds from kings seed this year rather than T&M but apart from my courgettes I have been very happy with Kings seeds so I am wondering what is the problem.

[mumofstig]

I had only one germinate, and rolled my eyes and just left the pots on the windowledge  - 2 weeks later the other 2 showed up 
With the weather we are 'enjoying' right now, they may have made the right decision 

[Subversive_plot]

See my comments at https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=137616.0 regarding chitting and heat mats.

[wighty]

I don't have a problem getting them to germinate, it's the making of female flowers I have a problem with.  All I ever get is male ones.  Don't know if I'll bother this year.

[Subversive_plot]

I don't have a problem getting them to germinate, it's the making of female flowers I have a problem with.  All I ever get is male ones.  Don't know if I'll bother this year.

It could be the variety grown.  My last season's zucchini was 'Black Beauty' and had no successful female flowers.  This year's variety is simply called 'Dark Green Zucchini' and I have loads of female flowers.  Conditions in the two years are about the same.

[Fisherman]

It appears to be a bit of a lottery. I grew 2 Soleil F1 (Yellow) and 2 Black Beauty (Green) last year and the year before. 3 of the 4 produced an endless number of courgettes but one yellow and one green produced next to nothing and not in the same year (if that makes sense) . 
As for germination - somewhere consistently warm (+20C) and not too damp.

[Growster...]

Over all the seasons I've tried to get the blighters to germinate and failed miserably, I succumbed to the lures of our favourite GC and bought two un-named fabulous plants which have taken over their 2L pots already!

As they're related to cucumbers etc, they're programmed to die even before they get sown!

I detect a conspiracy...

[Grubbypaws]

As for germination - somewhere consistently warm (+20C) and not too damp.

They are in a heated propagator at 20C so no excuses there.

[KalisDad]

I don't have a problem getting them to germinate, it's the making of female flowers I have a problem with.  All I ever get is male ones.  Don't know if I'll bother this year.

It could be the variety grown.  My last season's zucchini was 'Black Beauty' and had no successful female flowers.  This year's variety is simply called 'Dark Green Zucchini' and I have loads of female flowers.  Conditions in the two years are about the same.

I have grown Black Beauty for years and they have always produced well, the last 2 years have been a nightmare with them but like a stubborn fool I'm doing them again this year 

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

Loads of problems with chitting courgettes and squash seeds at room temperature over the last week or so. Yesterday put them into the heated propagator (much warmer than 20C) for the day and lo and behold they have chitted 24 hours later!

Maybe try increasing the temperature slightly if you're still having problems. 

[Deborah1]

Mine have been sulking and not chitting for about a week.... I think I need to raise the temperature before they rot!

[missmoneypenny]

I chitted at room temperature and it worked out fine.

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

I chitted at room temperature and it worked out fine.

Depends how warm your room is! 

[missmoneypenny]

Well it’s in my kitchen which is unheated, so I’d say about 21C.

[coldandwindy]

I'm definitely doing better with chitting than in pots.

I started with two packets of Parthenon F1. One was last year's , the other the year before's although still just before the sow by date.

I sowed the more recent ones in pots of seed compost in a heated tray & they are still a no show after 3 weeks.

When I realized they weren't going according to plan I first looked for fresh seed on-line (I'm fussy  -I like Parthenon for inside). They were sold out pretty much everywhere so as a last resort I put all the remaining oldest seed in kitchen roll on a heat mat. Two have roots after about 5 days.