problem with my courgettes

They are almost certainly not getting pollinated properly (they initially fool you by starting to swell but then rot off from the flower end.)

Best solution is to hand pollinate, either with a small artists paintbrush to transfer the pollen from male to female flower or by picking off a male flower and pushing its "naughty bits" into a female flower's "naughty bits". (Best done during the day when the flowers are open otherwise you really need 3 hands!)

I have similar problem and being a newbie, haven't looked in great detail at either the male of female's 'naughty bits'!! LOL

How can I tell which is which as I think I'll hae to do the same tonight.

Cheers

R

I have similar problem and being a newbie, haven't looked in great detail at either the male of female's 'naughty bits'!! LOL

How can I tell which is which as I think I'll hae to do the same tonight.

Cheers

R

The female flowers have a baby courgette immediately behind the flower, the male flowers just have a thin stalk. 

Well,

I tried using a small brush to take pollen from what is a male flower to a female flower.  Only one of each was open, most of the others flowers were firmly closed with the end twisted so did not want to force it open(am I mean to?)

How many leaves should be on the plants as its like a forest in the greenhouse!!!!

Told you you'd need 3 hands if you have to do it when the flowers are closed! 

Do it anyway - they don't bite!  (You'll probably find it easier using the "pick and strip" technique - pick a male flower, take off the petals and use that as your tickling stick in the female flowers - make sure the male flower is reasonably fresh and has plenty of pollen in it.)

Wouldn't personally recommend removing anything other than old, dying leaves.

If you are growing in the greenhouse, this could be attributing to the lack of polination as the insects arent getting in to do their work.  They sure do take up a lot of space!  It may be worth planting them outside next year if you have the space, to solve both problems you have encountered this year.  ....after you have given mother nature a helping hand (as suggested), i am sure you will have courgettes coming out of your ears soon like the rest of us