Tuesday 5 July 2022

The Death of the Courgette

 


The Courgettes that I grew from seed did poorly this year.  

The first two seedlings took one look at the world and thought 'that's not for me' and didn't even make it outside.  The remaining plant started off strong with lots of beautiful male stems and flowers, but then over the last two weeks just as the first fruits finally appeared the whole plant has gradually withered and died.

My first every failure with Courgettes!!

Oh well, not one to be too disheartened I pulled up the plant and sowed my Winter Leeks in the space instead, along with a row of Spinach seeds.  If I do decide to join in with the WW2 rationing a good supply of Winter veggies will come in very useful.

We have another of these beds being delivered today, so there will be lots ... well another few feet ... more growing room for next year.


Another drawer sorted through and again only a couple of things were deemed un-needed by me in future.


There are some of the baking tins that haven't been used in the last year, but only a couple and they are good quality and as I am now able to stand for longer periods I should be able to get back to making more from scratch again so it would be silly of me to get rid of them just to fit in with a criteria that I set myself.


The only things to go into the unwanted box this time.


Sue xx



20 comments:

  1. Perhaps something's been at the roots of the Courgette? I didn't plant even ONE this year. I'm the only person here who will eat them (despite them tasting of nothing Keith won't even try them in a dish).

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    Replies
    1. Possibly, there wasn't that much of a root system for sure.

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  2. If we lived near you I'd gladly supply you with more courgettes than you could shake a stick at! ( wonder where that saying originated from?)
    Alison in Wales x

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    Replies
    1. Farmers controlled their sheep by shaking their staffs to indicate where the animals should go. When farmers had more sheep than they could control, it was said they had “more than you can shake a stick at

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    2. Brilliant- thank you Debby

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    3. Thanks Alison, is you were closer I would be taking you up on the offer for sure :-)

      And thanks Debby, I didn't know that at all, but it makes such perfect sense. Will, the shepherd who kept some of his sheep in our paddock controlled his sheep this way, well with a small stick and a loaf of cheap white bread. He never used sheepdogs like so many of the other shepherds around us, he just had them well trained ... and loving white bread as a treat.

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  3. May she Rest In Peace!

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  4. The first two courgette plants (from seed) were munched by slugs. I had one left. That too was eaten. I sowed some more. Only one came up. It's growing nicely in a pot on an outside table - I'm reluctant to plant it out! I've never had this problem before either.

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    Replies
    1. It seems for a lot of us this is a bad courgette year. Very unusual!

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  5. Very interesting about your courgettes. My sister had to replant hers. They sprouted, but did not thrive. It is the first time she had problems with her zucchini and she's hopeful that it is not too late for them to bear fruit. I planted five hills of them. We love them so much! It will be bonus if I am able to share generously.

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    Replies
    1. I will buy myself a fresh packet of seeds next year and try again. In the meantime I will buy just a couple whenever I need them, they are getting cheaper and cheaper in the shops as they are in season ... so some farmers somewhere are having a better courgette year than us!!

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  6. Sorry about the zucchini. Like another poster says I think something was eating the roots.

    God bless.

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    Replies
    1. Quite possibly, there wasn't much of a root system going on when I pulled it up.

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  7. Oh no! I hate it when a crop fails. Our two plants are looking good - you've just inspired me to pick the two courgettes and take them to Cornbury with us! xxx

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    Replies
    1. Last year we had them coming out of our ears and this year none ..... typical home growing!

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  8. I came to make the same suggestion as Bovey Belle. Any chance you have vine weevil in your soil? If you do, I've found nematodes don't work at all but Diatomaceous earth does (and going out at night and picking the b*****d adults off the plants)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are ugly buggers, I wouldn't fancy picking them off :-(

      The bed is full of a new compost/soil mix straight from the garden centre, so if there are weevils in there it means a lot of other growers will be having the same problem!!

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  9. Oh, dear, what a shame about the courgettes. Mine seem to be thriving but you never know, do you?
    Still, you've made good use of the space. xx

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    Replies
    1. The beauty of a small bed is that you can swap and change the crops. The Mizuna is now starting to go to seed so that will be swapped out soon for something else soon.

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