I think that's because 'courge' was originally used in French for all types of 'gourd-like' fruits @floralies ... when you look back into the etymology of some of the common names things usually become clearer ... but beware the rabbit holes ... I could spend all day tracing the origin of 'gourd' describing a water container in various ancient Arabic languages ... but I won't ... I have some work to do ... 😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Well, you quickly explained about poor pollination @Lyn 👍 … and, as so often happens on this forum once the initial query has been answered, a wider ranging conversation on the subject of marrows followed 😊
I’ve just stocked up on brown sugar and cider vinegar … I have three marrows to turn into chutney next week. 👩🍳
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
@floralies Not here either. I find the French like their courgettes rather on the large size. The Italians like their zucchini small with the flowers still attached - or if not attached - small. In NZ we like our courgettes on the small side.
A couple who moved in to the the neighbourhood from the "Norf" - grew them as marrow because they like them stuffed. They didn't seem to appreciate the courgette as such.
Here beside the Med - courgettes are abound - fried, grilled on the BBQ, ratatouille, stuffed .... chichoumé which is like ratatouille but courgettes with onions and tomatoes and smoky bacon lumps.
My mum used to boil marrow and serve with a white sauce - hmmmm.
I grow marrows, I’m not sure about blossom end rot on those, I thought that was just tomatoes. What will happen on some is that they go yellow and soggy on the flower end , that’s because they weren’t pollinated. Try doing that yourself, paintbrush or gentle finger. I did find mine had a lot of males before any females showed, But then courgettes do that as well.
Thanks for your response. I am not sure that poor fertilization is the whole answer to what is happening to my marrows. Yes, it is usual to have lots of male flowers before the female ones begin to appear and Yes, I know that some fruit rot off due to poor or incomplete fertilization. My query was prompted because I have never had so many marrows develop to 4 or 5 inches and then begin to rot off. Removing the flower as soon as it dies seems to have corrected the problem, I have a second marrow developing properly now.
When I was a child my grandmother used to boil marrow and serve it with grated cheese or butter on it. Yum. Still my favourite way, especially grated cheese. I have never had it with white sauce, cheese sauce perhaps? I must try that when my second marrow reaches the cooking pot.
Posts
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I’ve just stocked up on brown sugar and cider vinegar … I have three marrows to turn into chutney next week. 👩🍳
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
A couple who moved in to the the neighbourhood from the "Norf" - grew them as marrow because they like them stuffed. They didn't seem to appreciate the courgette as such.
Here beside the Med - courgettes are abound - fried, grilled on the BBQ, ratatouille, stuffed .... chichoumé which is like ratatouille but courgettes with onions and tomatoes and smoky bacon lumps.
My mum used to boil marrow and serve with a white sauce - hmmmm.
But more often she'd stuff the whole marrow with a minced beef and tomato mixture and bake/roast it ... Mock Goose.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I am not sure that poor fertilization is the whole answer to what is happening to my marrows. Yes, it is usual to have lots of male flowers before the female ones begin to appear and Yes, I know that some fruit rot off due to poor or incomplete fertilization. My query was prompted because I have never had so many marrows develop to 4 or 5 inches and then begin to rot off. Removing the flower as soon as it dies seems to have corrected the problem, I have a second marrow developing properly now.
When I was a child my grandmother used to boil marrow and serve it with grated cheese or butter on it. Yum. Still my favourite way, especially grated cheese. I have never had it with white sauce, cheese sauce perhaps? I must try that when my second marrow reaches the cooking pot.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.