Courgettes - help

[Ava Bike]

Instead of pots full of flowers on my decking, this year I've planted strawberries, tomatoes, salad leaves, courgettes, pumpkins, cucumbers, herbs (instead of in the garden) and peppers.

I know I can get the cucumbers to go upwards (Dave's made cane wigwams), but will the courgettes do this as well?

[Janglers]

They will go wherever you train them to go.

[Ava Bike]

janglers said:

They will go wherever you train them to go.

Thanks Jan. I've put them in a tub with the cucumbers and pumpkins, so I was rather hoping they would.

Ava xxx

[Leigh Djonn]

We've never grown our courgettes uphill, but have heard that pumpkins and squashes will travel.

I'm not too sure if courgettes will though as they don't have any twirly things to cling on with.

Please keep us posted as to your success.


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[Janglers]

leigh said:

We've never grown our courgettes uphill, but have heard that pumpkins and squashes will travel.

I'm not too sure if courgettes will though as they don't have any twirly things to cling on with.

Please keep us posted as to your success.

[/font][/size][/quote]

Shirley I wasn't thinking of cucumbers, or was I?!!

[Admin]

ava said:

Instead of pots full of flowers on my decking, this year I've planted strawberries, tomatoes, salad leaves, courgettes, pumpkins, cucumbers, herbs (instead of in the garden) and peppers.

I know I can get the cucumbers to go upwards (Dave's made cane wigwams), but will the courgettes do this as well?

The thing to watch out for with courgettes is the amount of space they can occupy. 2 square metres per plant is quite usual.

[Payne N Diaz]

I once grew them in a pot on my lanidng and the bloomin' things took over

[Denise R. Aching]

They don't have tendrils for climbing and so tend to spread.

Slugs and snails love 'em though so you'll have to keep them

protected. The flowers are beautiful though short lived.

[Admin]

helen100 said:

They don't have tendrils for climbing and so tend to spread.

Slugs and snails love 'em though so you'll have to keep them

protected. The flowers are beautiful though short lived.

The Italians stuff the flowers with all sorts of nice things, dip them in batter and fry them, complete with the 'baby' courgette still attached. Delicious, and a great way to keep down the number of mature fruits.

[Fi]

ava said:

janglers said:

They will go wherever you train them to go.

Thanks Jan. I've put them in a tub with the cucumbers and pumpkins, so I was rather hoping they would.

Ava xxx

I hope it's a big tub Ava - depending on what sort, pumpkin plants can grow as big as courgettes, if not bigger. If yours are a small variety of the fruit, they can grow upwards on a frame, all are vigorous climbers, but it's worthwhile putting nets underneath individual fruits to support them once they start growing.
You'll need to keep an eye on the fertilizer you use - all three are very greedy.
This reminds me of the year I decided to grow on of the giant pumpkins - I did it in our greenhouse because of the climate. It grew and grew and then it grew so big that it filled the greenhouse, and the tomato However, the tomato and cucumber had to be squeezed into one small corner. It produced 2 pumpkins, both over 30 lbs! Which reminds me, if you want large fruit, it helps to take off most of them when they are tiny and just let a few develop. Also, snipping off one male flower and using it to pollinate the females is worthwhile. Otherwise, you could end up with a fantastic plant but no fruit.

[lemanie]

i always seem to find i get a great crop on year and then just flowers the next, i always grow them in pots, i always have and that seems to work

I've got some pumpkin plants this year as well, i've never grown them before so here's hoping

[Ava Bike]

fi said:

ava said:

Thanks Jan. I've put them in a tub with the cucumbers and pumpkins, so I was rather hoping they would.

Ava xxx

I hope it's a big tub Ava - depending on what sort, pumpkin plants can grow as big as courgettes, if not bigger. If yours are a small variety of the fruit, they can grow upwards on a frame, all are vigorous climbers, but it's worthwhile putting nets underneath individual fruits to support them once they start growing.
You'll need to keep an eye on the fertilizer you use - all three are very greedy.
This reminds me of the year I decided to grow on of the giant pumpkins - I did it in our greenhouse because of the climate. It grew and grew and then it grew so big that it filled the greenhouse, and the tomato However, the tomato and cucumber had to be squeezed into one small corner. It produced 2 pumpkins, both over 30 lbs! Which reminds me, if you want large fruit, it helps to take off most of them when they are tiny and just let a few develop. Also, snipping off one male flower and using it to pollinate the females is worthwhile. Otherwise, you could end up with a fantastic plant but no fruit.

Yes - a very big tub, Fi. For the moment, I'm experimenting and will learn from my mistakes!

The pumpkins are very small - 10 - 13 cms in diameter (so it says on the label!).

Ava xxx

[Ava Bike]

leigh said:

We've never grown our courgettes uphill, but have heard that pumpkins and squashes will travel.

I'm not too sure if courgettes will though as they don't have any twirly things to cling on with.

Please keep us posted as to your success.

[/font][/size][/quote]I'm hopeful that if I keep them supported, I can grow them upwards. Watch this space!

Ava xxx

[meltemi]

Eureka & again, must check peripheral screen area, most do better