Courgettes in containers going yellow?

JodyBPM

As the title says - the leaves on my courgette plants in containers have been going increasingly yellow in the last couple of days. I have another courgette plant in a bed that was grown from the same batch of seeds, and this one is fine, so I guess its to do with lack of nutrients in the pots?

I planted them up in multipurpose compost in fairly large containers, and put a slow release plant food tablet in when I planted them - do I need to start feeding them now? And what with? I have some tomato feed, would that do? Or some more of the slow release plant food, I could push another one of those into the compost.

Otherwise they are looking reasonably healthy, no pests on them etc, but the courgettes do seem to be growing a lot more slowly than they did at first, and the yellow seems to be increasing by day...

Lotus-eater

It will either be lack of water, or the pot too small, or lack of nutrients.
Tomato food will be fine, start to give them some about once a week and see how it goes.

JodyBPM

Thank you. I will feed them, and hope they cheer up a bit.

I don't think it would be lack of water as we are quite religious about watering them, so I guess it is a lack of nutrients.

foxgloves

Courgettes are 'greedy feeders'. They generally need feeding twice a week with dilute tomato feed or home-made comfrey feed. It sounds as though that's what yours need. Good luck & here's to a good crop!

frazzbo

I've got the same problem - I have one plant in a pot which has had yellow leaves for a while now. It had a flower on it ages ago, but nothing since. I have some in the ground as well and they are doing fine, have had loads of flowers and courgettes on them.

heynonnynonny

Thanks for the tips, have been using all purpose fruit and veg feed on mine but will do it twice a week now - they keep on coming and coming. Can't believe how quickly they actually grow!

rms1

Don't let them grow too big, 4 or 5 inches and they are ready to pick.