Karen Kenny on wrinkly courgettes and short beans
Post categories: courgette,Ìýfrench bean,Ìýquestion
| 10:12 UK time, Friday, 16 July 2010
Karen Kenny, an allotment expert with the , explains how watering your veg correctly can prevent wrinkly courgettes and beans that aren't growing to their full potential. If you have advice to share about growing the Dig In courgettes and beans, you can add your comments at the bottom of this entry.
Sophie asks: My courgette plants have started producing courgettes but they seem to grow to a small size and then stop growing and then wrinkle up (with the exception of one which grew very bulbous and started to resemble a small marrow!). Why aren't they growing any bigger?
Answer: Watering could well be the problem, Sophie. It's important that you keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. The best way is to water thoroughly and then mulch to conserve the moisture and keep the soil at an even temperature. This is more likely to produce a constant supply of courgettes throughout the summer with regular picking. An organic mulch is best but shredded newspaper will do.
Eve asks: I water well, early morning and late evening, but my beans don't seem to have grown very much in height, nor have they got very bushy. Should I be doing anything else? They are planted in organic compost which was recommended for this purpose at the garden centre.
Answer: Are they dwarf beans (as you speak about 'bushiness') or climbing/runner beans? If they are in pots, overwatering could be a problem. You may be leaching out the nutrients a bit too much. If they are in pots of compost the compost will have a limited supply of nutrients and will need them topped up so I would suggest a dilute organic liquid seaweed feed at regular intervals to spur them on and keep them going.
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