Kitchen Garden Forum

My first attempt at growing courgettes and they are coming along fine (big leaves and large yellow flowers). My question is “when can I pick them?” They have been about 2 - 3 inches long now for about 2 weeks but nothing else is happening. I’m feeding them a tomato feed once a week and making sure that the soil doesn’t dry out. Am I just being too impatient?

Hello Peet
Pick courgettes when they small - say not more than 4-5 in long - when they are at their best. Keep picking the small fruits, even if you don't need them, as this will encourage more fruits to form.
I always give my courgettes a high nitrogen feed with an occasional dose of epsom salts but opinions seem to vary on forum about what feed is best for courgettes.

John

Hi Peet If you are stuck for something to do with your courgettes when you eventually pick them try Delia Smith's courgette and potatoe cakes with mint and feta. I make vast quantities of these and add different things depending what I have in, they do freeze and tonight we are having them with a salad and I am adding some spare stilton cheese. Mmmmm

We don't really feed our courgettes at all and they are really prolific. I'm surprised that your courgettes have stood still for two weeks Peet. If we don't pick ours quickly they become marrettes.

I'm collecting courgette recipes on my blog and am about to try a recipe for a sort of cake. I say a sort of cake as it is served spread with butter so is a bit like a sweet loaf!

This year we have made courgette burgers - lots of variations adding different ingredients to the courgette and onion base. We are also freezing grated courgette with water squeezed out.

Evening Peet, sometimes courgettes and marrows do this when they first start to crop, i cut the first few off if they do this, then they seem to start producing a lot quicker.