Courgette Flowers

Courgette Flowers

Each year I prepare the soil well when I plant my courgettes. However, the first six or so emerging courgettes go yellow at flower end and don’t grow any further. Most courgettes after this are okay. What am I doing wrong?

Sorry to hear you are having trouble with your courgettes. Courgettes prefer a hot, sunny, reasonably dry position in the garden; with moist, free draining soil. If your soil is water logged you may need to add in more compost or a vegetable mix to help with drainage. Prior to planting it can also be beneficial to mound the soil slightly to reduce the possibility of the plant getting too wet via rain or irrigation.

Courgettes do suffer from fungal diseases if the weather is wet or they have been overwatered. This can cause discolouration, impair development of fruit and also encourage blossom end rot, which can cause the fruit to yellow and rot on the plant. It is better that a courgette is on the dry side rather than excessively wet. But of course, don’t let the plant dry out.

You can try our Daltons Organic Bio-Fungicide Powder at the early stages of flowering. It helps protect against plant pathogens and boosts the plant’s own immune system. It needs to be mixed with water and applied as a drench to the soil around plants, or by sprayer or watering can.

Courgettes are comparatively low nutrient loving plants and providing the soil has been prepared well before planting, they should grow well. You can apply fertiliser once fruit starts to form.

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