Courgettes - not good
 

I have seen thread where someone is getting much fruit on them.

Not for me: I have Venus F1s growing in raised bed and have much reduced crop
compared with previous years.

However, I have noticed there seems to be a dearth of male flowers this year.
Consequently I think that the females are not being pollinated to the degree
that they have been previously.

I have pollinated females when there has been a male available by transferring
pollen.

I have wondered about cutting off the male flowers and trying to save the
pollen to brush on over say the next week until next male flower appears. Any
views/comments?

Courgettes - not good
 

On 18/08/2015 14:12, Judith wrote:

I have seen thread where someone is getting much fruit on them.

Not for me: I have Venus F1s growing in raised bed and have much reduced crop
compared with previous years.

Has it been colder where you are? Mine are about three weeks behind
where they should be just like everything else that is tender. My runner
beans are still struggling but the broadbeans are on steroids.

It is really cold wet and miserable 14C here in North Yorkshire today -
no wonder anything that likes summer warmth and sunshine is sulking.

However, I have noticed there seems to be a dearth of male flowers this year.
Consequently I think that the females are not being pollinated to the degree
that they have been previously.

Odd. You usually get a load of male flowers before the plant comes
onstream with more expensive to produce female ones.

I have pollinated females when there has been a male available by transferring
pollen.

I have wondered about cutting off the male flowers and trying to save the
pollen to brush on over say the next week until next male flower appears. Any
views/comments?

The cold and wet also cuts down the number of flying insects to do the
pollenation. I have never known a courgette not set fruit though.

The problem I have is missing the odd one until it is oversize.

There is only so much courgette soup you can eat in a season.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Courgettes - not good
 

"Judith" wrote ...

I have seen thread where someone is getting much fruit on them.

Not for me: I have Venus F1s growing in raised bed and have much reduced
crop
compared with previous years.

However, I have noticed there seems to be a dearth of male flowers this
year.
Consequently I think that the females are not being pollinated to the
degree
that they have been previously.

I have pollinated females when there has been a male available by
transferring
pollen.

I have wondered about cutting off the male flowers and trying to save the
pollen to brush on over say the next week until next male flower appears.
Any
views/comments?


Sounds like a good Courgette to grow. :-) We only have two plants this
year, a normal and a yellow, and still keep throwing them in the compost bin
because we get too many. Think we will be down to one plant next year if
any.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Courgettes - not good
 

On 18/08/2015 16:57, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Judith" wrote ...

I have seen thread where someone is getting much fruit on them.

Not for me: I have Venus F1s growing in raised bed and have much
reduced crop compared with previous years.


Sounds like a good Courgette to grow. :-) We only have two plants this
year, a normal and a yellow, and still keep throwing them in the compost
bin because we get too many. Think we will be down to one plant next
year if any.

Small ones stir fried with fresh red chilli pepper makes them bearable.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Courgettes - not good
 

On 18/08/2015 17:14, Martin Brown wrote:
On 18/08/2015 16:57, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Judith" wrote ...

I have seen thread where someone is getting much fruit on them.

Not for me: I have Venus F1s growing in raised bed and have much
reduced crop compared with previous years.


Sounds like a good Courgette to grow. :-) We only have two plants this
year, a normal and a yellow, and still keep throwing them in the compost
bin because we get too many. Think we will be down to one plant next
year if any.

Small ones stir fried with fresh red chilli pepper makes them bearable.


I fail to see the problem.
In the "Old days" courgettes were picked small with the flower still
open and were cooked flower and all, it's only in quite recent times
that courgettes being sold have become Mini Marrows
"Both flowers are edible and are often used to dress a meal or to
garnish the cooked fruit.
Firm and fresh blossoms that are only slightly open are cooked to be
eaten, with pistils removed
from female flowers, and stamens removed from male flowers. The stems on
the flowers can
be retained as a way of giving the cook something to hold onto during
cooking,
rather than injuring the delicate petals, or they can be removed prior
to cooking,
or prior to serving. There are a variety of recipes in which the flowers
may be deep fried
as fritters or tempura (after dipping in a light tempura batter),
stuffed, sautéed, baked,
or used in soups"

..

Courgettes - not good
 

"Martin Brown" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Judith" wrote ...

I have seen thread where someone is getting much fruit on them.

Not for me: I have Venus F1s growing in raised bed and have much
reduced crop compared with previous years.


Sounds like a good Courgette to grow. :-) We only have two plants this
year, a normal and a yellow, and still keep throwing them in the compost
bin because we get too many. Think we will be down to one plant next
year if any.

Small ones stir fried with fresh red chilli pepper makes them bearable.


But not daily or even weekly thank you Martin. Yes we have got a number of
recipes that use courgette but neither of us want them daily.

--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Courgettes - not good
 

On 18/08/2015 11:12 PM, Judith wrote:

I have wondered about cutting off the male flowers and trying to save the
pollen to brush on over say the next week until next male flower appears. Any
views/comments?

What about just swirling a soft haired watercolour artist's brush over
the male flowers and then put that carefully away with the pollen on it
till you see a pretty girl flower and then swirl boy bits on brush onto
girl's bit flower.

I don't know if the pollen would keep on a brush but probably as long as
on a picked flower. I've certainly successfully done the work of bees
with a brush on pumpkins when for some reason my garden seemed to be
short of bees.

Courgettes - not good
 

On Wed, 19 Aug 2015 15:49:40 +1000, Fran Farmer
wrote:

On 18/08/2015 11:12 PM, Judith wrote:

I have wondered about cutting off the male flowers and trying to save the
pollen to brush on over say the next week until next male flower appears. Any
views/comments?

What about just swirling a soft haired watercolour artist's brush over
the male flowers and then put that carefully away with the pollen on it
till you see a pretty girl flower and then swirl boy bits on brush onto
girl's bit flower.

I don't know if the pollen would keep on a brush but probably as long as
on a picked flower. I've certainly successfully done the work of bees
with a brush on pumpkins when for some reason my garden seemed to be
short of bees.


That sounds like a god plan: I will give it a try - thanks

Courgettes - not good
 

"Judith" wrote in message
...
I have seen thread where someone is getting much fruit on them.

Not for me: I have Venus F1s growing in raised bed and have much reduced
crop
compared with previous years.

However, I have noticed there seems to be a dearth of male flowers this
year.
Consequently I think that the females are not being pollinated to the
degree
that they have been previously.

I have pollinated females when there has been a male available by
transferring
pollen.

I have wondered about cutting off the male flowers and trying to save the
pollen to brush on over say the next week until next male flower appears.
Any
views/comments?

Well you could try..

Mine are equally bad, spring was so late that they just didn't germinate.
Now they are planted out, the slugs are eating every tiny courgette as soon
as it forms.
My vegetables have been a disaster this year.
I got three runner beans yesterday. My climbing french beans I got 9 beans
from.
I still have some dwarf french beans coming along as they also failed to
germinate twice, but it's getting too cold for them to mature.
Worst year ever.

Tina