Janet wrote:
This year I planted 5 courgette plants grown from seed.
Last year mine had very poor germination; so this year, anticipating
the same, I planted the entire packet. They all came up and turned into
healthy strong plants; found homes for a few but still had 18 left. So I
planted out the lot, thinking at least they would shade out weeds, and
not one of them died or got sat on by pheasants.. It's courgette madness
out there :-) I'm supposed to be making pickle with them.

Blimey, and I thought I had a lot! I think we have 8 - 4 green bush (the 1
yellow bush that germinated got munched), 1 organic dundoo (only 1 that
germinated) and 3 'one ball' yellow round courgettes. Between those 8 we
have enough fruit to feed the entire neighbourhood.

But as you can see - a lot didn't germinate, only the green bush did so
reliably, and the one ball were about 50-50, the rest were about 1 in 3 or
4 or lower. And then the entire crop of yellow bush failed or were eaten!