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Courgette plant problems

ian.hayesian.hayes Posts: 7
in Fruit & veg
I planted two courgette plants in a trug in the greenhouse.  One plant produces mainly male flowers; The occasional female flowers start to form courgettes, but then turn yellow and shrivel.  The second plant has produced a few really good courgettes, which have been regularly picked, but that plant too is now starting to produce only male flowers.
I also planted two courgette plants outside, neither of which is producing any female flowers, only a few weak male flowers.
Watering in the greenhouse is regular, and the plants have been given a weekly Tomorite feed.  I have even tried fertilising female flowers using a fine paintbrush.  The outdoor plants are watered if it doesn’t rain.
We live in Carmarthenshire. Previously, in Oxfordshire, we only needed one courgette plant to produce a surplus each year. 
Please would you suggest what’s going wrong, and how to correct this.  Thanks

Posts

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    The RHS suggests that it might be lack of sunshine, low temperatures or "adverse growing conditions", whatever they may be... and that it should improve later in the year.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • ian.hayesian.hayes Posts: 7
    Lots of sunshine here over the last 4 weeks…
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    The greenhouse is probably too hot for courgettes, they are tender but don't need heat. Your plants outside seem to be doing OK. They will produce male flowers first before going on to produce fruits so just be patient and you will soon be giving away courgettes.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    We have 2 in the polytunnel and 2 outside. The polytunnel ones are producing fruit and masses of growth. As @steephill says it is really too hot in there but they are coping. The ones outside are just producing leaves at the moment and no flowers.
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Hi @ian.hayes

    Same problem - plenty of sunshine down here in the South of France - reasonable temperatures up until a few days ago.  

    I did have the problem last year of fruit not maturing and going yellow at the end.  But they came away a treat after the first few problems and it was ratatouille a go-go!!

    I am about to plant 2 more courgette plants this evening.  

    Speaking to other people around me, their plants were prolific with lots of leaves but all male flowers or no flowers at all.  

    Maybe not a courgette year!   It happens!
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • war garden 572war garden 572 Posts: 664
    the answer is simple you need to pollinate the female
    flowers with the male flowers in green house unless
    you letting insects pollenate. 
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    I think two courgette plants in a trug, even in a large one, is not enough space for the roots for a vigorous plant to grow and courgettes are vigorous. Too crowded IMO. Best to move one to another container or plant directly in the ground.

    My courgettes in an outdoor raised bed are flowering and producing well.

    Comments about hand pollinating greenhouse courgettes are correct.  

    Usually the first flowers are male.  Your outdoor ones will produce female flowers soon.
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
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