Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi Everyone,

In KG next month (August issue), we would like to include a light-hearted feature with advice for readers on what to do with their likely glut of courgettes. At the heart of this we would, like to include your ideas (polite ones only of course) as to what to do with them. Maybe you have a favourite recipe or some way or preserving them, or perhaps you even ferment them and turn them in to fuel for the rotavator!

Also any top tips for growing better crops, favourite varieties and ways to combat pests and diseases such as mildew - anything remotely related to growing and eating courgettes in fact.

Any ideas gratefully received. We have a week or so before we have to get the feature put together so just post them here or email me: sott@mortons.co.uk

Hi Mon Capitain
Hope something out of this is helpful

In the 2014 season we planted 4 courgette plants out on the plot,
2 x Black Beauty and 2 x Tricolour which are a round type.

15lb 11ozs were harvested from the 2 Black Beauty plants and
77lb 9ozs from the 2 Tricolour plants. (Yes that is 77Lbs)

We grilled them, roasted them, fried them in butter, steamed them.

We even had the neighbours running and hiding if they saw us approaching with yet more offerings of courgettes.
It's great to harvest and eat your own growing efforts but even we got fed up with courgettes.

Having said that we shall be growing the Tricolour type again this year.

To help avoid grey mould leave plenty of space between plants and avoid watering directly onto leaves, water only around base of plant. Don't be frightened to cleanly cut back to the main stem any leaves that have mould or just need thinning to allow airflow through plant.

Dispose of any diseased leaves by removing from site, do not add to compost heaps

Like everyone else I somehow plant too many courgettes & I've done it again this year! (Well that little slightly shriveled one at the plant stall did look lonely)!

I've mentioned my spiralizier on the forum here & have had fun looking up courgette 'noodle' or 'spaghetti' recipes & have tried quite a few with shop bought courgettes already. Just today I found a recipe using courgette rings as mini pizza canapes so will have to try those as well.

My all time favorite way to serve them is just taking slivers with a peeler & putting them on the griddle pan until charred lines appear & then dressing these with balsamic, chilli or garlic oil, pesto or just any old herbs with a drizzle of oil. Makes a great side dish or even nice cold in a salad.

The question is though, can you have too many courgettes? Answer definitely Yes!!

Westi

I cook a lot of soups all the years round, based on any fresh or frozen vegetables we have at the time, and that includes courgettes:

When the glut is on, I chop the courgettes into cubes and freeze them in small portions , one of which is included in my soup pots in winter. Courgettes may not add much taste but they give it some different texture.

Many thanks everyone, some great ideas there. If anyone has any more pleae feel free to post them. Actually having trouble hanging on to my courgettes today - in danger of being blown away!

Glad to see your useful info.
I like your posts.
I am a newbie.

Hope you all liked the feature in the mag, now that it has ploppped through the letter box. Thanks very much again for your help in putting it together. A bit of fun, but hopefully useful, too, especially to our new readers.

Such a relief that it is a bit fresher this morning. Actually had to dig out my shorts yesterday - the flashes of white frightened off the pigeons at least!

I hope that for September, if it's not too late, you can perhaps have a similar feature dealing with a tomato mountain. Fingers crossed, and barring a visitation of the dreaded blight I hope to find myself in a similar enviable position.
I do have various ways if using them but new ideas always welcome!

Thanks Primrose - we'll see if we can squeeze it in!

Afternoon Captain Carrot, i did indeed enjoy reading the article, it was nice to see some contributions from the forum. I know it must be hard to pick things from the forum to put in the magazine, as we don't have many new members, so we do go over the same things many times.

I would just like to say, the few new members we have had contributing to the forum recently, have given us all a real lift, so a big thank you from me.

I take it Lady Lettuce is looking as glamourous as always....

Totally agree OH on the new members posting. Maybe Captain Carrot can give a little plug about joining the forum?

I often see the number of people reading a post but it doesn't match the comments made. I often wonder if it is because of the number of regulars posting they feel intimidated? I was one of those initially but glad I made the leap as everyone's experiences have definitely helped me. The other hurdle was deciding what heading to post under. Learnt it now (I think), but maybe time for a revamp of topics to post under?

Just a thought but if anyone new to the forum would like to add anything that is putting them off commenting I'm sure it would help.

Westi

Yes, definitely nice to see some newcomers to the forum with another perspective., especially if they're new to to the growing experience. It,s sometimes easy to forget the mistakes we all made when we first starting growing things and there's usually somebody on here who can provide helpful experience or encouragement when initial attempts go wrong.