Although no expert, I have been successfully gardening produce of a normal
nature - beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes etc for a few years. This year I
thought I'd have a go at courgettes. No greenhouse; but that never bothered
the tomatoes (south facing garden in Derbyshire). I planted five seeds and
lo and behold like topsy they just grew and grew and grew. I gave one
re-potted plant to a new to gardening neighbour with greenhouse; then sat in
my garden and watched as his plant thrived and produced its first flowers.
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower; obviously somewhat
later than my neighbour's. He gave me the first two courgettes from his
plant and they were yummy! My flowers open, delight us with their beauty
and then close up and fall off :-( anyone tell me why? can it be possible
that all mine are the wrong sex? this is happening to each of the four
remaining plants even though as plants they look wonderfully healthy - my
neighbour is not giving his anything other than water and the occasional
tomato feed, as I am. Near to tears now!!

On Wed, 4 Aug 2004 11:36:48 +0000 (UTC), "kathleen syson"
wrote:

Although no expert, I have been successfully gardening produce of a normal
nature - beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes etc for a few years. This year I
thought I'd have a go at courgettes. No greenhouse; but that never bothered
the tomatoes (south facing garden in Derbyshire). I planted five seeds and
lo and behold like topsy they just grew and grew and grew. I gave one
re-potted plant to a new to gardening neighbour with greenhouse; then sat in
my garden and watched as his plant thrived and produced its first flowers.
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower; obviously somewhat
later than my neighbour's. He gave me the first two courgettes from his
plant and they were yummy! My flowers open, delight us with their beauty
and then close up and fall off :-( anyone tell me why? can it be possible
that all mine are the wrong sex? this is happening to each of the four
remaining plants even though as plants they look wonderfully healthy - my
neighbour is not giving his anything other than water and the occasional
tomato feed, as I am. Near to tears now!!

I think your putting them in a shed hasn't helped - I sow mine direct
into the soil in early May..they just don't need any protection ( save
from a late frost ).
If they're still in the shed, take them out and place them in a sunny
spot - ensure they're kept well watered, and as they're in pots (
presumably ) you'll have to feed them..and feed them well, as they're
rather big eaters.

Courgettes tend to throw out lots of male flowers initially - closely
followed by the female ( fruiting ) flowers..and it's not uncommon for
the first couple of fruits to fail.
Once they get going they chuck fruits out at a rate of knots.
If you have four plants all fruiting at once you're going to have to
like courgettes!
Pick 'em small!

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

In article , kathleen syson
writes
My flowers open, delight us with their beauty
and then close up and fall off :-( anyone tell me why? can it be possible
that all mine are the wrong sex?

Courgettes have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The
female flowers are identifiable by the embryo courgette behind the
flower.

Flowers are the plant's was of getting variability into the offspring,
and this is best done by getting your flowers pollinated by another
plant. there are many mechanisms for this, and the courgette's mechanism
is to produce its male flowers early and its female flowers later.

So your first flowers will all be male, and will drop off. Gradually you
will start to get female flowers too, and if you want to increase the
chance of pollination, you can break off a fully open male flower and
stuff it nose to nose into a female flower. But usually you don't need
to do this.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article , kathleen syson
writes
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower;

In a shed? All mine have always been more than happy outside (not
greenhouse). If in a shed, its probably that the flowers aren't being
fertilised by visiting insects?

--
regards andyw

Andy W wrote after...
kathleen syson
writes
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower;

In a shed? All mine have always been more than happy outside (not
greenhouse). If in a shed, its probably that the flowers aren't being
fertilised by visiting insects?


Quite! We plant ours out after the last frost, first week of June, on top of
a large bucket sized hole filled with well rotten compost. Use the soil dug
out to make a circular dam around the plant to ensure any water goes down
into the compost. Water daily, half a watering can each min, add feed each
week, and let nature take it's course with the pollination.
Even our cucumbers grow outside.

Greenhouses are for things that like heat and a long growing season like
Toms and Chillies although we grow them outside too. :-)

--
Regards
Bob
in Runnymede, 17miles west of London, UK

Andy W wrote after...
kathleen syson
writes
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower;

In a shed? All mine have always been more than happy outside (not
greenhouse). If in a shed, its probably that the flowers aren't being
fertilised by visiting insects?


Quite! We plant ours out after the last frost, first week of June, on top of
a large bucket sized hole filled with well rotten compost. Use the soil dug
out to make a circular dam around the plant to ensure any water goes down
into the compost. Water daily, half a watering can each min, add feed each
week, and let nature take it's course with the pollination.
Even our cucumbers grow outside.

Greenhouses are for things that like heat and a long growing season like
Toms and Chillies although we grow them outside too. :-)

--
Regards
Bob
in Runnymede, 17miles west of London, UK

Wow! what a veritable mass of info in such a short time. Many thanks to
all. Currently scuttling out to shed to put the little fellows outside. As
the leaves seemed so large and tender looking, I thought the wind might
smash them. I've got mountains of insects, bees, hoverflies, ladybirds etc.
they should have a field day.

Incidentally, we adore courgettes, being a great fan of ratatouille (if
that's right spelling)

Again much appreciated thanks

Kathie S
newsb wrote in message ...
In article , kathleen syson
writes
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower;

In a shed? All mine have always been more than happy outside (not
greenhouse). If in a shed, its probably that the flowers aren't being
fertilised by visiting insects?

--
regards andyw

I have to add my thoughts to this: I successfully grew my first courgette
last year and had a bumper crop - but this year the high winds a while back
completely devastated my only plant. I managed to aquire a 'spare' one
from my neighbour, which although is a little late, due to being
transplanted is doing well and I have had one fruit and more on the way.
But when we had some further high winds just after transplanting this
little fellow, we protected it with an upturned bucket with the bottom
removed, until the winds had subsided. It would appear that they are a bit
succeptible to being uprooted by severe wind damage, so beware!.

Ros

Wow! what a veritable mass of info in such a short time. Many thanks to
all. Currently scuttling out to shed to put the little fellows outside. As
the leaves seemed so large and tender looking, I thought the wind might
smash them. I've got mountains of insects, bees, hoverflies, ladybirds etc.
they should have a field day.

Incidentally, we adore courgettes, being a great fan of ratatouille (if
that's right spelling)

Again much appreciated thanks

Kathie S
newsb wrote in message ...
In article , kathleen syson
writes
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower;

In a shed? All mine have always been more than happy outside (not
greenhouse). If in a shed, its probably that the flowers aren't being
fertilised by visiting insects?

--
regards andyw


Chichester
West Sussex, UK.

"kathleen syson" wrote in message
...
Although no expert, I have been successfully gardening produce of a
normal
nature - beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes etc for a few years. This
year I
thought I'd have a go at courgettes. No greenhouse; but that never
bothered
the tomatoes (south facing garden in Derbyshire). I planted five
seeds and
lo and behold like topsy they just grew and grew and grew. I gave
one
re-potted plant to a new to gardening neighbour with greenhouse;
then sat in
my garden and watched as his plant thrived and produced its first
flowers.
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh
air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower; obviously
somewhat
later than my neighbour's. He gave me the first two courgettes from
his
plant and they were yummy! My flowers open, delight us with their
beauty
and then close up and fall off :-( anyone tell me why? can it be
possible
that all mine are the wrong sex? this is happening to each of the
four
remaining plants even though as plants they look wonderfully
healthy - my
neighbour is not giving his anything other than water and the
occasional
tomato feed, as I am. Near to tears now!!

Why are the plants in a shed?
Who is going to pollinate the flowers there?

Franz

Hi Franz!

They 'were' in a shed cos I have no greenhouse - said shed has its doors
open around 16 hours a day; so I thought erroneously, that plenty of the old
pollinators would trip in and out willy nilly. some kind respondent
suggested the idea of covering with a bucket. However, as they are
currently around two feel tall (including pot) I would need some size bucket
to protect. My main concern is that the garden is subject to some pretty
wild wizzy winds and I woz worried that they may get trashed; as pointed out
by Ros Butt this is a distinct possibility. Incidentally, surely it should
by what and not who will pollinate! zoom

Franz Heymann wrote in message ...

"kathleen syson" wrote in message
...
Although no expert, I have been successfully gardening produce of a
normal
nature - beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes etc for a few years. This
year I
thought I'd have a go at courgettes. No greenhouse; but that never
bothered
the tomatoes (south facing garden in Derbyshire). I planted five
seeds and
lo and behold like topsy they just grew and grew and grew. I gave
one
re-potted plant to a new to gardening neighbour with greenhouse;
then sat in
my garden and watched as his plant thrived and produced its first
flowers.
Kept mine in a shed nice and warm by a huge window plenty of fresh
air,
light, love and care etc - they also started to flower; obviously
somewhat
later than my neighbour's. He gave me the first two courgettes from
his
plant and they were yummy! My flowers open, delight us with their
beauty
and then close up and fall off :-( anyone tell me why? can it be
possible
that all mine are the wrong sex? this is happening to each of the
four
remaining plants even though as plants they look wonderfully
healthy - my
neighbour is not giving his anything other than water and the
occasional
tomato feed, as I am. Near to tears now!!

Why are the plants in a shed?
Who is going to pollinate the flowers there?

Franz

Ros Butt wrote:

I have to add my thoughts to this: I successfully grew my first courgette
last year and had a bumper crop - but this year the high winds a while
back
completely devastated my only plant. I managed to aquire a 'spare' one
from my neighbour, which although is a little late, due to being
transplanted is doing well and I have had one fruit and more on the way.
But when we had some further high winds just after transplanting this
little fellow, we protected it with an upturned bucket with the bottom
removed, until the winds had subsided. It would appear that they are a
bit succeptible to being uprooted by severe wind damage, so beware!.

Ros


I've avoided wind damage by planting my courgettes amongt my sweetcorn like
the Native Americans did. Of course, they did it to keep the racoons off
the corn cobs, but I can safely report that as well as no racoon attacks,
I've had no wind damage and they've been outside since May.

--
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World
War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
-- Albert Einstein

"kathleen syson" wrote
They 'were' in a shed cos I have no greenhouse - said shed has its doors
open around 16 hours a day; so I thought erroneously, that plenty of the
old
pollinators would trip in and out willy nilly. some kind respondent
suggested the idea of covering with a bucket. However, as they are
currently around two feel tall (including pot) I would need some size
bucket
to protect. My main concern is that the garden is subject to some pretty
wild wizzy winds and I woz worried that they may get trashed; as pointed
out
by Ros Butt this is a distinct possibility. Incidentally, surely it
should
by what and not who will pollinate! zoom

As I said, ours are planted out the first week of June on our allotments
which are totally open. Now I realise we aren't in an exposed part of the UK
but, perhaps because of the dams around the plants, we get very little
damage even when very windy.

--
Regards
Bob
in Runnymede, 17miles west of London, UK

No help, but mine are also fruitless. They are growing outside, next to
successful raspberries and rhubarb. The flowers appear, but fall off. I did spot
a couple of tiny courgettes (little-finger) but they fell off instead of
growing. I did have lots of pollen beetles in the plants. Dunno if they've
nicked all my pollen instead of passing it around. Same happened last year - I
harvested ONE courgette from all my plants.

I strongly suspect that there's something funny in my soil. The tomato plants
that grow so well on the sunny windowsill went into slow-motion when they got
transplanted outside. Same for the courgettes - after two months outside,
they're hardly bigger than houseplants.

I'm in the south-west, where the climate is mild. The bigger plants
(raspberries) are acting as windbreaks for the smaller ones. Everything looks
right (to me) but no courgettes.

Stumped

Edwin
Bath.

"Edwin Spector" wrote ...
No help, but mine are also fruitless. They are growing outside, next to
successful raspberries and rhubarb. The flowers appear, but fall off. I
did spot
a couple of tiny courgettes (little-finger) but they fell off instead of
growing. I did have lots of pollen beetles in the plants. Dunno if they've
nicked all my pollen instead of passing it around. Same happened last
year - I
harvested ONE courgette from all my plants.

I strongly suspect that there's something funny in my soil. The tomato
plants
that grow so well on the sunny windowsill went into slow-motion when they
got
transplanted outside. Same for the courgettes - after two months outside,
they're hardly bigger than houseplants.

I'm in the south-west, where the climate is mild. The bigger plants
(raspberries) are acting as windbreaks for the smaller ones. Everything
looks
right (to me) but no courgettes.

Stumped

As I've said, what we do is dig a big bucket sized hole, fill it with well
rotted compost, mix a little soil in the top couple of inches and plant the
cucurbit in/on that. The soil taken out is used to make a water dam around
the hole so no water is wasted and it all goes into the compost, it also
gives the plant some wind protection when small.
They get about 0.75 gal of water per day unless it rains heavily and are
given a general purpose feed (seaweed extract) once a week.

Also, try hand pollinating to see if it is those pollen beetles.

The Toms; well ours outside on the allotment are now at a max of 4ft tall
max with some fruit just ripening. Do you water and feed them well?

Perhaps you need your soil tested.

--
Regards
Bob
in Runnymede, 17miles west of London, UK

Flowers are the plant is to mutate into future generations, this is the best pollination by your access to the other plants. There are many mechanisms for this, then the mechanism of courgette, producing male flowers early, after the female flowers.