I have never grown courgettes as my husband doesn't like them but
recently bought one plant to fill a space in a raised bed. It was very
soon producing courgettes and I was so pleased, I went to the garden
centre and bought two more plants, which I put in a gigantic pot. They
too grew quickly but it soon became apparent that they are both (I think
- I am a courgette bozo) male, as all they are producing is flowers on
stalks where you would expect the courgettes to be. They are also
rather prickly plants. I know you can cook the flowers and shall do so
but can anyone please tell me if there is anything I can do?

Sorry if this is a daft question. My garden centre is good and will
listen to my query but I want to talk to them with what appears to be a
modicum of courgette intelligence before I talk to them. Many TIA.
--
June Hughes

In article ,
June Hughes wrote:
I have never grown courgettes as my husband doesn't like them but
recently bought one plant to fill a space in a raised bed. It was very
soon producing courgettes and I was so pleased, I went to the garden
centre and bought two more plants, which I put in a gigantic pot. They
too grew quickly but it soon became apparent that they are both (I think
- I am a courgette bozo) male, as all they are producing is flowers on
stalks where you would expect the courgettes to be. They are also
rather prickly plants. I know you can cook the flowers and shall do so
but can anyone please tell me if there is anything I can do?

No, all courgettes are bisexual. Most of the squashes seem to produce
quote a lot of male flowers before they start producing female ones.
Most varieties are prickly, but not all.

So I recommend a policy of constructive inaction.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

wrote in message
...
In article ,
June Hughes wrote:
I have never grown courgettes as my husband doesn't like them but
recently bought one plant to fill a space in a raised bed. It was very
soon producing courgettes and I was so pleased, I went to the garden
centre and bought two more plants, which I put in a gigantic pot. They
too grew quickly but it soon became apparent that they are both (I think
- I am a courgette bozo) male, as all they are producing is flowers on
stalks where you would expect the courgettes to be. They are also
rather prickly plants. I know you can cook the flowers and shall do so
but can anyone please tell me if there is anything I can do?

No, all courgettes are bisexual. Most of the squashes seem to produce
quote a lot of male flowers before they start producing female ones.
Most varieties are prickly, but not all.

So I recommend a policy of constructive inaction.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I agree with Nick - the female flowers will come eventually - and then you
will be indundated with them. If your husband says he doesn't like them try
the following:

Mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sugar and 3 garlic
cloves, crushed. Chop courgettes into largish chunks and coat with oil
mixture. Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes until softened and coloured.
Brilliant with any roast meat. My husband was converted!!!

Jeanne

Sweet Roasted Marrow Wedges

Prep and cook time: 30 mins to 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 x 15ml spoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
15ml spoon sugar
1 marrow, deseeded and cut into wedges

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

Place the oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl and mix
together. Then add the prepared marrow and coat.

Transfer to a roasting tray and cook for 45 minutes or until softened and
coloured. Serve with any roasted meats.

In message ,
writes
In article ,
June Hughes wrote:
I have never grown courgettes as my husband doesn't like them but
recently bought one plant to fill a space in a raised bed. It was very
soon producing courgettes and I was so pleased, I went to the garden
centre and bought two more plants, which I put in a gigantic pot. They
too grew quickly but it soon became apparent that they are both (I think
- I am a courgette bozo) male, as all they are producing is flowers on
stalks where you would expect the courgettes to be. They are also
rather prickly plants. I know you can cook the flowers and shall do so
but can anyone please tell me if there is anything I can do?

No, all courgettes are bisexual. Most of the squashes seem to produce
quote a lot of male flowers before they start producing female ones.
Most varieties are prickly, but not all.

So I recommend a policy of constructive inaction.


That's just what I need to know. So - I shall harvest the flowers, cook
them and wait and see what happens next. I wonder why the first plant
went straight into courgette mode?

--
June Hughes

In message , Jeanne Stockdale
writes

wrote in message
...
In article ,
June Hughes wrote:
I have never grown courgettes as my husband doesn't like them but
recently bought one plant to fill a space in a raised bed. It was very
soon producing courgettes and I was so pleased, I went to the garden
centre and bought two more plants, which I put in a gigantic pot. They
too grew quickly but it soon became apparent that they are both (I think
- I am a courgette bozo) male, as all they are producing is flowers on
stalks where you would expect the courgettes to be. They are also
rather prickly plants. I know you can cook the flowers and shall do so
but can anyone please tell me if there is anything I can do?

No, all courgettes are bisexual. Most of the squashes seem to produce
quote a lot of male flowers before they start producing female ones.
Most varieties are prickly, but not all.

So I recommend a policy of constructive inaction.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I agree with Nick - the female flowers will come eventually - and then you
will be indundated with them. If your husband says he doesn't like them try
the following:

Mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sugar and 3 garlic
cloves, crushed. Chop courgettes into largish chunks and coat with oil
mixture. Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes until softened and coloured.
Brilliant with any roast meat. My husband was converted!!!

Jeanne

Sweet Roasted Marrow Wedges

Prep and cook time: 30 mins to 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 x 15ml spoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
15ml spoon sugar
1 marrow, deseeded and cut into wedges

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

Place the oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl and mix
together. Then add the prepared marrow and coat.

Transfer to a roasting tray and cook for 45 minutes or until softened and
coloured. Serve with any roasted meats.


I shall try that, Jeanne. Many thanks to both you and Nick for the
solid advice.

I also hope to try the courgette cake in one of Nigella Lawson's books.
If it is any good, I shall let you have the recipe. It will be a little
while though - as soon as the plants start producing courgettes.

I am glad I asked here before visiting the garden centre, although I
know they would have been very patient and helpful.
--
June Hughes

In message , June Hughes
writes
In message ,
writes
In article ,
June Hughes wrote:
I have never grown courgettes as my husband doesn't like them but
recently bought one plant to fill a space in a raised bed. It was very
soon producing courgettes and I was so pleased, I went to the garden
centre and bought two more plants, which I put in a gigantic pot. They
too grew quickly but it soon became apparent that they are both (I think
- I am a courgette bozo) male, as all they are producing is flowers on
stalks where you would expect the courgettes to be. They are also
rather prickly plants. I know you can cook the flowers and shall do so
but can anyone please tell me if there is anything I can do?

No, all courgettes are bisexual. Most of the squashes seem to produce
quote a lot of male flowers before they start producing female ones.
Most varieties are prickly, but not all.

So I recommend a policy of constructive inaction.


That's just what I need to know. So - I shall harvest the flowers,
cook them and wait and see what happens next. I wonder why the first
plant went straight into courgette mode?

Forgot to say thank-you. Sorry. Thanks
--
June Hughes

Jeanne Stockdale wrote:

Mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sugar and 3 garlic
cloves, crushed. Chop courgettes into largish chunks and coat with oil
mixture. Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes until softened and coloured.
Brilliant with any roast meat. My husband was converted!!!

Jeanne

Sweet Roasted Marrow Wedges

Prep and cook time: 30 mins to 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 x 15ml spoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
15ml spoon sugar
1 marrow, deseeded and cut into wedges

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

Place the oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl and mix
together. Then add the prepared marrow and coat.

Transfer to a roasting tray and cook for 45 minutes or until softened
and coloured. Serve with any roasted meats.

Many thanks for those recipes

Saved!!

June Hughes wrote:
I have never grown courgettes as my husband doesn't like them but
recently bought one plant to fill a space in a raised bed. It was very
soon producing courgettes and I was so pleased, I went to the garden
centre and bought two more plants, which I put in a gigantic pot. They
too grew quickly but it soon became apparent that they are both (I think
- I am a courgette bozo) male, as all they are producing is flowers on
stalks where you would expect the courgettes to be. They are also
rather prickly plants. I know you can cook the flowers and shall do so
but can anyone please tell me if there is anything I can do?

The first flowers are almost always male until the plant has enough
leaves to support female flowers with fruits. Just wait - you will be up
to the eyeballs in courgettes by the end of the season.

Sorry if this is a daft question. My garden centre is good and will
listen to my query but I want to talk to them with what appears to be a
modicum of courgette intelligence before I talk to them. Many TIA.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Martin Brown writes
The first flowers are almost always male until the plant has enough
leaves to support female flowers with fruits. Just wait - you will be
up to the eyeballs in courgettes by the end of the season.

Is that the reason? I'd always assumed it was to aid cross pollination -
the pollen from the first few male flowers can only be used to pollinate
another plant. But you are undoubtedly right.
--
Kay

On Jul 19, 2:14*pm, "Ophelia" wrote:
*Jeanne Stockdale wrote:
Mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sugar and 3 garlic
cloves, crushed. Chop courgettes into largish chunks and coat with oil
mixture. Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes until softened and coloured.
Brilliant with any roast meat. My husband was converted!!!

Jeanne

Sweet Roasted Marrow Wedges

Prep and cook time: 30 mins to 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 x 15ml spoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
15ml spoon sugar
1 marrow, deseeded and cut into wedges

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

Place the oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl and mix
together. Then add the prepared marrow and coat.

Transfer to a roasting tray and cook for 45 minutes or until softened
and coloured. Serve with any roasted meats.

Many thanks for those recipes

Saved!!

I'm looking for a recipe for a courgette souffle, I had it Friday
night, it was delicious.

Judith

On 19 July, 11:46, June Hughes wrote:
In message , June Hughes
writes

In message ,
writes
In article ,
June Hughes wrote:
I have never grown courgettes as my husband doesn't like them but
recently bought one plant to fill a space in a raised bed. *It was very
soon producing courgettes and I was so pleased, I went to the garden
centre and bought two more plants, which I put in a gigantic pot. *They
too grew quickly but it soon became apparent that they are both (I think
- I am a courgette bozo) male, as all they are producing is flowers on
stalks where you would expect the courgettes to be. *They are also
rather prickly plants. *I know you can cook the flowers and shall do so
but can anyone please tell me if there is anything I can do?

No, all courgettes are bisexual. *Most of the squashes seem to produce
quote a lot of male flowers before they start producing female ones.
Most varieties are prickly, but not all.

So I recommend a policy of constructive inaction.

That's just what I need to know. *So - I shall harvest the flowers,
cook them and wait and see what happens next. *I wonder why the first
plant went straight into courgette mode?

Forgot to say thank-you. *Sorry. *Thanks
--
June Hughes

My kids have never liked courgettes, or so they say - but I chop them
up and add them to curry in the early stages of cooking. After an hour
or two simmering, they have merged with the curry sauce and acted as a
thickener, with just the bits of green skin which could easily be
mistaken for peppers.

It is amazing how much surplus courgette can be 'hidden' in a curry
this way, and eaten by those who hate them.

sutartsorric wrote:
It is amazing how much surplus courgette can be 'hidden' in a curry
this way, and eaten by those who hate them.

Indeed. Grated courgette (and carrot for that matter) disappears
completely, and both were a recent ingredient in a Spag Bol sauce made
for my elderly mother who professes to despise the things

sutartsorric writes
It is amazing how much surplus courgette can be 'hidden' in a curry
this way, and eaten by those who hate them.

It's amazing how many things can be hidden in a curry!

I got rid of quite a few substandard apples that way last autumn
--
Kay

"K" wrote in message
...
sutartsorric writes
It is amazing how much surplus courgette can be 'hidden' in a curry this
way, and eaten by those who hate them.

It's amazing how many things can be hidden in a curry!

I got rid of quite a few substandard apples that way last autumn

Hmmmm we don't eat curry. Any other dishes for hiding these things?

Ophelia writes

"K" wrote in message
...
sutartsorric writes
It is amazing how much surplus courgette can be 'hidden' in a curry this
way, and eaten by those who hate them.

It's amazing how many things can be hidden in a curry!

I got rid of quite a few substandard apples that way last autumn

Hmmmm we don't eat curry. Any other dishes for hiding these things?

Anything with a reasonably slow cooking sauce and a complicated flavour.
Sauces for pasta, rich stews and casseroles, for example.


--
Kay