Peter Horrocks answers your courgette questions
Peter Horrocks, an allotment expert with the answers your questions about eating carrot tops and training courgettes. If you have a similar story to share, you can add your comments at the bottom of this entry. You need to register first, which only takes two minutes.
Lisa from Leicestershire: Hi, I've put my courgette plants outside and they are doing well, they have even started to flower, and I've been keeping them well watered. What do I do now? Is the courgette produced from where the flower is?
Answer: Yes Lisa, the flower is the embryo courgette.
Julia Pearce from Somerset asks: I am so excited the courgette plants are covered in baby courgettes. I reckon I will be eating one within a week or two at most! Will they keep going all summer or should I pull them out once I have eaten these and put some of the baby courgette plants waiting to go in the same spot?
Answer: No, Julia, keep picking from the established plants for a while, the more you pick, the more there'll be. You could try a couple of smaller ones to see if they'll crop any longer than the originals.
Mike Tapner from South Gloucestershire asks: I have four courgette 'Black Beauty' plants growing very well, but the large yellow flowers all have long thin stems. Should I pick them off or what?
Answer: I don't know the variety, bit I suspect that it's a characteristic so I definitely wouldn't nip them off.
Jane Macqueen from Derbyshire asks: Two of my courgette plants have been nibbled by slugs! I am growing them organically and wondered what I could use? They have also had a nibble at the beans and some strawberries.
Answer: My next door allotment neighbour gave up after ten years of battling slugs organically. There are, I believe nowadays, organic slug pellets available so you could try that. Otherwise, look up slug prevention on the internet and take your pick form the organic alternatives.
If anyone else has had similar with growing the Dig In veg, add your comments below.
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