You know that scene in every old wild west movie? The one where the cowboy/rancher/townsfolk would stop suddenly listening for something. They'd concentrate hard, scrunching up their face and then raising their head, focus on some small dust cloud in the distance. The dust cloud would grow larger and larger and dark forms within it would begin to take shape. The indistinct noise would change to a faint drumming, getting louder and louder until it could be recognised as the sound of heavy hooves as horses were ridden at full gallop carrying the full might of the native American tribes to bear down on the settlers. The look on the face of the cowboy/rancher/townsfolk was that of both fear and resignation as they realised that life was about to irreversibly change and that resistance was futile
It's pretty much the same feeling I get every June when the courgette plants start fruiting. How I've looked forward to getting my first courgette since sowing the seeds in March and gently tending to the seedling as they grew. This year I'm growing Striata, a stripy green courgette from Seeds of Italy and Gold Rush, a yellow courgette I obtained in a seed swap on a grow your own forum. Now we can see the first few fruits developing, ready to open their flowers for the insects and achieve full pollination. But a small part of me knows that my array of courgette recipes cannot possibly keep up with the supply once the plants get going.
Hi! Your courgette plants look healthy!
ReplyDeleteI have grown a few this year for the first time in years, and probably have about 5 plants left after giving away loads. Mine are at a simliar stage to yours above, so it will be interesting to see if i too am inundated with courgettes - i have no idea what to expect!
Maybe I'd better start checking out recipes!
Gill xx
I'm growing a yellow courgette this year for the first time. It'll be interesting to see if it tastes any different to the green varieties.
ReplyDeleteGill - if they're healthy and well cared for, courgettes are pretty prolific fruiters right through to September or October if the weather stays warm. Let us know how your harvest goes!
ReplyDeleteJo - it's my first time growing Gold Rush so not sure if the taste will be different from green varieties. But I thought they'd look pretty cooked together and in the plot.
Hi, this is my first time growing courgettes at all. Just wondering if you could give me some advice on how to tell when they are ripe.
ReplyDeleteI have one on my plant that is a good 10cm long already. How much longer should I leave it?
ps the yellow ones do look gorgeous.
Hi KnightMare, you can pretty much eat them at any stage - they don't really need to ripen in the same sense as a tomato. The high street supermarkets sell them very small as baby veg and then charge twice the price! I tend to harvest mine at about 10-15cm. There'll always be another one ready soon after!
ReplyDeleteHey thanks for that. I decided to go for it and have cut it off and brought it inside to make up part of dinner this evening :D
ReplyDelete