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mouldy courgette ends

• Message 1. 

  Posted by HarryandJoan (U14104550) on Tuesday, 23rd August 2011

  My courgette plants are fruiting OK but often the courgette gets a reasonable size and then the end goes mouldy, soft and this then creeps down the courgette. The main leaves are going speckled white as well as if they have been in the way of white paint.
  What can I do?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Lokelani (U8896212) on Wednesday, 24th August 2011

  Sounds like blossom end rot, in theory from erratic watering. They are very prone to it though, I get that a lot each year. I take those ones off, give a good water & hope the next set are okay.
  
  Are the white bits powdery? They're also very prone to that, I just cut off the worst affected leaves if there are enough new fresh ones. A very weak solution of milk is meant to help misted on, but it didn't when I tried it. Also avoid watering the leaves as this causes it.
  
  

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by sanjyogi (U14887047) on Wednesday, 24th August 2011

  Hi
  
  Seems like your courgettes are not pollinating like mine . Its my first year growing my own and was told that I would get so many from my 6 courgette palnts that I would be giving away to my neighbours...that certainly hasn't been the case, as we haven't has enough even for a single meal.
  
  I have been told to hand pollinate them every morning. May be you could try that too.

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• Message 4

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  Posted by sanjyogi (U14887047) on Wednesday, 24th August 2011

  Excuse the typos...noticed them only after posting!

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• Message 5

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  Posted by DazthePlanter (U14967947) on Wednesday, 24th August 2011

  I only have this problem on older plants where the growing process is slowing and often associated with irregular watering. I`ve just had a few that whitened at the end after weeks of heavy rain.
  The leaves are being splattered with watering and then in the sun will go blotchy. I always remove leaves up to two behind the last courgette. This ensures goodness only goes foward into new growth and allows air to pass around the stem.
  We grow two sets of 4 plants and we do get about 20 from each one every year!! Some we take as normal shop size and others we let go till marrow size. These we cut in half lengthways, spoon out the seeds, fill with cooked flavoured mince and grill with cheese on top! ( Chilli or Gyros flavours are best.)
  Our problem is that we have too many and cannot find a decent way to store them.
  The secret of pollination is to always grow flowers next to the new courgette plants to attract the bees. Alternatively, a pot with summer flowers e.g. petunias or lobelias can be placed nearby. This saves the necessity of teaching the flowers of the courgette how to "do it"
  Good luck.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by pixibelle (U1023851) on Wednesday, 24th August 2011

  Hi Daz,
  
  I unfortunately don't have a glut this year (first time growing my own and think my pots are too small - kept meaning to plant them on but then they started to fruit and I was worried they wouldn't cope with the rehoming process!) but this link in the food message board looked really good.
  
  
  
  If I had a glut (or found some courgettes reduced) I'd definitely be trying the chutney/jam recipes on sweetpeas blog!
  
  Hope this helps!
  
  PB x

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• Message 7

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  Posted by DazthePlanter (U14967947) on Wednesday, 24th August 2011

  Thanks for that. We tend to re-pot them after they have outgrown their individual plugs into a larger pot of about 7cm high. As soon as they show their first "crinkly" edge leaves and some roots are visible underneath, then they go out! Never lost one in this process and then I use an occasional tomato feed during the lifespan of the plant.
  The chutney recipe is definitely for us. This morning I took 8 courgettes and in the last month approaching 100 !!
  Of course, we also cook up a loy of jars of ratatouille with home grown onions, tomatoes and courgettes. Brilliant all the year round in Italian or other spicy dishes.
  Only been doing this for 5 years and love the "seed to plate" feeling of providing home grown crops totally organic free.
  Good luck!

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