[dolby]

Don't know what has happened to my courgettes this year. I have always had great success with these in the past, in fact I have often recommended them to others as the ideal first crop as you can't really go wrong with them.
In the past I have always had tons of fruit, often leaving the last few of the year to grow into mini marrows to make soup with.
This year though I have had very few fruit, and much of what has started growing has started rotting from the end - I dont think I have got one that has grown longer then about 6 inches.
I have tried growing some in a bed in between the sweetcorn at the allotment and grown some more in a large pot at home with the same results form both.
Looking at the seed packet I can't seem to find a name. They were from Fothergill's and are simply marked Courgette  - early maturing, reliable crops.
Any ideas anyone?

[Yorkie]

Sorry to hear about your courgettes 

It's been quite wet, which may have caused the rotting off - or perhaps the plants weren't actually pollinating?

[dolby]

I think they have been pollinating OK as the fruit start off, but when they get to about 4 inches the ends start to rot. I have never had this before - and the last couple of summers were just as wet.

[JayG]

Despite still being a "New Member" I already seem to have said this several times!

I find you will lose many fruits through lack of pollination even though they may initially start to swell; if you can, hand pollination is the answer .

Also, in wet weather the withered remains of the flower will sometimes cause the fruit to rot from that end; remove them as soon as you can break them off easily.