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Courgette Flowers

skelly01
skelly01 Posts: 186 Forumite
Hi,

Got my first 2 courgettes coming on one of my plants with the flowers in full bloom. last year i had some problems with the ends of the fruits rotting.
Should I remove the flowers immediately? Or leave on? I cannot remember what I did last year!!!
«1

Comments

  • Lotus-eater
    Lotus-eater Posts: 10,792 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If your fruits are pollinated and growing on, then you can remove the flowers, but I would wait until the flowers droop and die off.
    I can't quite remember the sequence, but I think the flowers only die off when the fruit is off and growing.
    Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
  • sexki11en
    sexki11en Posts: 1,286 Forumite
    I *think* this can be caused by water collecting in the flower. You can eliminate this by tearing the underneath of the flower which allows the water to run out.

    We have our first courgette I noticed tonight. I only planted them out last weekend so they're doing well in the weather we've been having!

    SK x
    After 4 years of heartache, 3 rounds of IVF and 1 loss :A - we are finally expecting our miracle Ki11en - May 2014 :j

    And a VERY surprise miracle in March 2017!
  • benz
    benz Posts: 112 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    If I leave my first courgette of the season to grow to a normal size it always becomes soft and rots - I don't know why, but it does, and all the rest are fine. To prevent this I pick the first one very young. Don't think it has anything to do with the flowers - we usually eat the flower as well as the courgette.
  • Lube
    Lube Posts: 1,495 Forumite
    any pests to look out for, I going to grow some outside in grow bags dont have a greenhouse only a plastic one

    I have last day or so had problems in raised beds with either birds or mouse also bene digging at my summer bulbs in a pot havent had this problem the last 2 years
  • mutley74
    mutley74 Posts: 4,033 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    You can cook and eat courgette flowers! I recall Jamie Oliver doing last year on Jamie at Home.
    http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/knowhow/glossary/courgette-flower/
  • skelly01
    skelly01 Posts: 186 Forumite
    What should you do with the male flowers? Do you pick them off as soon as you see them coming or allow them to fully go through the course of blooming then dying?
  • Lotus-eater
    Lotus-eater Posts: 10,792 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    skelly01 wrote: »
    What should you do with the male flowers? Do you pick them off as soon as you see them coming or allow them to fully go through the course of blooming then dying?
    If you pull them all off, then you aren't going to get any courgettes..... so I would leave them on.
    Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
  • skelly01
    skelly01 Posts: 186 Forumite
    How come I had female and fruits first before the males?
  • Lotus-eater
    Lotus-eater Posts: 10,792 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Dunno, courgettes need a male and female flower, maybe it could have cross pollinated with another cubit nearby.
    Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.
  • skelly01
    skelly01 Posts: 186 Forumite
    Okey Dokey. Nope it was the first unless it is trying to mate with my toms (Ha ha).
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