Kitchen Garden Forum

Any idea what has happened to my courgettes? I have been getting quite a few and in the last few weeks since it has been sunny and then wet and I gave them some food they have become prolific producers again. However they seem to be covered in brown spots. Is this due to the weather? Fungi? Me not being very green fingered?

Once cut up they seem to be fine it is almost just aesthetics.

I ahve also noticed that a lot of my courgette and squash plants have a powdery mildew on the leaves....is this the knock on effect to the fruit?

Cheers

Snip

Hello Snip,

I can't help you in identifying the brown spots, (I expect someone more knowledgable will come along in due course), but I tend not to worry about things that don't affect the eating quality!

My courgettes always get mildewy towards the end of the season too, but it doesn't seem to stop them producing. I just put it down to old age (theirs, not mine ).

I wonder if the brown spots might have been caused by slug damage, although I would have thought that unless the fruit were resting on the ground the slugs would find it very painful to try and climb up the prickly stems.
I think it's pretty common for the leaves to get mildew towards the end of the plant's life around September. Mine develop it every year around September but it doesn't seem to affect the fruit so I don't worry about it, although I agree it does look unsightly.

Hello Snip. If the brown spots appeared after rain, followed by sun, it could be scorch caused by the sun's rays being magnified by the water droplets on the fruits.
I have had the same thing but agree with Pongeroon! Unless they are for the show table, it doesn't really matter.
My courgette plants get mildew at this time of the year too. I don't think it's anything you're doing..or not doing.
Cheers.

Thanks all for the comments. The spots are occuring on my trombontino which are the curly green ones and I have them clmbing up and over arches. This rules out the slugs but the rain/sun answer is very plausible.

As they are all edible I will carry on thinking of recipes to deal with 5 courgettes a day!

courgette and apple cake (delicious)
courgette fritters
courgette carbonara
courgette and feta pasta
lamb neck fillet with courgettes and mushrooms.

Any other recommendations?

Snip

Yes slice and put in a jar with olive oil, cider venegar and chopped mint, leave in fridge at least overnight for flavours to marinate, serve as a side salad.
If you also have a glut of tomatoes use to make and bottle some ratatuille.
Any oversize courgettes - make marrow and ginger jam, tastes much nicer than you imagine.

Lol just picked my courgettes and counted eight smaller courgettes still growing on the nearest plant, like you I'm running out of ideas now!