[James]

Blimming useless.  Last year, from 3 plants I managed two courgettes... and they were small ones and I had to cut off the end that was beginning to go mouldy.  This despite liberal and frequent applications of Dithane.

So this year I grew Defender, from T&M.  An organic seed, supposed to be resistant to CMV and mildew.  I have two lovely plants.  I have had three or four courgettes this year, yummy - one even reached small marrow size whilst I wasn't looking.  This evening I went to inspect them, and all the developing courgettes on one plant have gone mouldy.  Half a dozen or so.   My De Nice a Fruit Rond - golf ball shaped courgettes - both plants have a single, nicely developing fruit.  (Seed packet was 29p from Lidl.)

Any ideas for next year?  I want a GLUT of courgettes, like everybody else.  I only manage baby courgettes - the size of a large finger - before they begin to go.

Soil is light and freely draining.  Very freely draining.  Incredibly so.  But it has been so wet this last week I'd have thought that mould wouldn't have been a problem (it infects stressed, dry plants generally.

[John]

My advice, for what it's worth - a load of cow muck. Holds water and adds nutrition. Courgettes are greedy plants so I tend to give them a starter of fish blood and bone followed with comfrey tea each week or so.

Good luck.

[GrannieAnnie]

Last year we had a spot empty behind little greenhouse, so we built a square a metre high and 6ft sq, just putting old block paving on top of each other (no I haven't knocked it down yet!!) and all last year, I used it as a commpost heap.  Then after Christmas I put about 6inches of soil on top of it all, and my courgette plants went in there.  I think I have put growmore on them twice, but otherwise, just watered when its been really dry.  I hvae had so many courgettes, I've lost count, and they are still coming!!!  So that's my answer Jame, stick em on your commpost heap!!!

[GrannieAnnie]

Sorry forgot the S James!!!!

[Sadgit]

I was growing my courgettes in pots at 1st and they looked terrible after a while. Then I stuck 3 in grow bags, 2 in the coalframe and 2 in the veg plot. The grow bag ones need so much feeding and care. I didn't use any manure for the coalframe courgettes and have hardly fed them. these are producing the most fruits.

[Novice]

Have you tried putiing straw on the ground so the courgettes don't pick up any damp ?

[James]

Do you think that will make a difference, or are you guessing (sorry, it's the 'novice' moniker that makes me ask!)?

[Annie]

You will be pleased to hear that you are not alone.I have been growing courgettes for four years and although have had enough had never had a glut(I dreamed but now have nightmares).
    This year Steve decreed that he was doing courgettes,this was at planting out time when I had grown them into healthy plants.He used concrete blocks from demolished bit of house,got loads of hourse manure topped with soil and planted,I put 2 remaining plants in a well prepared bed fortified with chicken manure and while they produce the occasional fruit the others have friends and relatives running for cover.
  Half these are the organic/mildew resistant ones and while the others are slowing these are still going strong.
   I grow in a garden so do not have people near to give advice,I wish I had known about sites like these before.
 PS How do I get S to do spring onions next year....

[Judymac]

Try spraying the plants with cold yarrow tea (Achillea Millefolium spelling?) this keeps the fungal spores at bay. I also add yarrow leaves to my main nettle tea feed, and have had no mildew problems so far...touch wood!  

Judy

[Ian_P]

They are almost certainly getting too much water. Don't water them for about a week and the mildew should die down and you still should get plenty of courgettes this year.

One of my plants did this this year, I did just that and I now pick about two courgettes every three days from it.

Now the rains have come I have stoped watering completely even though the ground is very dry, they are amaizing the way they con collect almost every drop of rain that falls on the leaves.

[James]

>They are almost certainly getting too much water.

Are you sure?  Mildew is usually a sign of too little water.  

If you're right, please would you have a quick word with God next time you see him in the pub!

[Novice]

Hi James - I'm pretty sure about the "straw on the ground" trick, as one of the old boys at the plot told me about it, and I'm picking 8 - 10 courgettes every other day from 5 plants ( and have only lost 2 so far )
Mrs.Novice has scoured the 'net and found dozens of recipes, so with those, and giving them to friends/neighbours/relatives/postman/double glazing salesmen/jehovas witnesses, we're just about keeping the glut at bay

[wellingtons]

... confusing the issue here with conflicting advice.

Powdery mildew is almost certainly a symptom of either underwatering or poor air circulation, but most marrows, pumpkins, cucumbers, squash etc will succumb to mildew towards the end of the season.  And if it is end of season mildew it won't really affect the main cropping season that much.

Courgettes are hungry plants though (as are marrows and pumpkins) and they do need water.  I have 3 plants this year that are producing probably the same amount as 2 did last year.  I put that down to lack of water.  Any kind of mulch underneath will serve two purposes, keeping the fruit clean and dry and keeping the moisture in.

When I plant mine I plant them in an indentation, so that when you water them the sit in a puddle for a while.  What this does mean is that once the plant is established, you can mulch the indentation and keep the fruit clean and the water in.  

Any stress when the plant is seedling stage will also have an effect, and possibly a major effect on cropping.  So look after them well when they're babies.

[mum of 3]

i also do a little moat around my "thirsty plants".it seems to keep them hydrated for a little longer

[joolee]

I read somewhere that letting water sit around the stem of the plant can cause it to rot. I followed the books advice and now half bury upside down plastic bottles with the bottom cut off into the soil about 10 cm from the plant and fill these with water - this waters them right to the root
I have never heard of an overwatered courgette plant. I have a glut this year and I used wilkinson's cheap and cheerful seeds. I would agree with whoever said that soil condition is essential. Loads of compost or manure and a mulch with straw and regular feeding with an organic tomato fertiliser.