Not strictly marrows, but noticed this morning that my courgettes have started to produce lots of male flowers and very few females. Wonder if it could be the sudden big drop in temperatures? Anyone else noticed this?

I've had a very interesting response from a friend in the industry who is one of the UK's foremost tomato breeders and he says: Regarding the tomato ripening, I see no genetic reason why a yellow or orange should ripen before a red. In the case of the Tumbling Tom series I think it may be the poorer...

Of course what I need now is a good marrow recipe so I can do Mervin 2 justice and give him a good send off. Found one where you bake it in foil with freshly harvested sweetcorn and butter, but sadly my sweetcorn is a long way from ready! Any recommendations? (Apart from marrow rum!)

Yes I like 'Ildi' - grew them a few years back when we gave them away with the magazine. Good feedback from readers who grew them subsequently, too. Yes do let us know Primrose.

I'll do some research and see if I can find out for you Primrose.

Thought twice about moving my outdoor potted toms indoors in case they are already affected (although they look healthy). Worried that if they are they might spread it to the plants in the greenhouse. Decisions, decisions! It's not easy being a gardener!

Cut Mervin 2 this morning. Thought I might as well make use of him before he becomes inedible!

Lady Lettuce has been very guarded about progress with her plant, which leads me to believe she might be quietly confident!

Well I've had a clean slate - or roof tile - of failures so far chaps!

Well you have the honour of being the first among us Pa Snip, but not the last!

Nothing at the moment Geoff and certainly not for use by we amateurs, but I'll keep my ear to the ground.

Hi Colin. Unfortunately as other forum members will tell you, potatoes and tomatoes with blight usually succumb very quickly and the old copper-based fungicides that used to offer some protection are now banned. Choosing blight resistant varieties such as the Sarpo potato range and tomato varieties ...

It needs two consecutive days above 10C and with 6 hours in each of those days with a relative humidity of 90% or above to create a Hutton Criteria (formerly the old Smith periods which we learned about at college many moons ago).

Arthur: "Marvin, any ideas?
Marvin: "I have a million ideas; they all point to certain death."

Disaster has struck. Mervin 2 has botrytis on his snout! Doomed I'm afraid. Now it's all down to Mervin 3 - a shadow of Mervin 2's magnificence.

Just had a blight warning for tomorrow in my area! Will be moving the few tomato plants I can move that are outside in pots, inside soonest!

Wow, some serious kit there Geoff - but what a super garden you have! Very jealous!