Courgette support in Polytunnel

Gardening to 'grow your own food' from square foot to half an acre !!
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JMcElroy
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Courgette support in Polytunnel

Post by JMcElroy »

Hi, I have two courgette plants that have become so big that they are sprawled across my polytunnel. Because they have so many side shoots, its hard to control to wrap around bamboo etc. Has anyone any ideas or successes with how to support these as they grow? Thanks.
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Mo
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Re: Courgette support in Polytunnel

Post by Mo »

Cant they just sprawl?
It's a while since i grew them and then outdoors so I forget.
My grandfather used to grow enormous marrows on his allotment - I remember carrying one down the aisle for harvest festival - seemed bigger than me.
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Freeranger
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Re: Courgette support in Polytunnel

Post by Freeranger »

This is a question that I'm sure someone else can answer, but would it be worth pinching out some of the growth on the plants? I'm thinking that it must be putting a lot of energy into the stems and leaves rather than producing flowers and fruit.....
I've never had such successful courgette that they were that big, bu I know some people provide a frame with chicken wire across, propped up at an angle like an easel.
JMcElroy
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Re: Courgette support in Polytunnel

Post by JMcElroy »

Thank you both. Very new to growing veg, so I'll try pinching them out. I can't let them sprawl as I am walking on them. Have tried some support, hopefully it will work. Thanks a million.
Gwenoakes
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Re: Courgette support in Polytunnel

Post by Gwenoakes »

I seem to remember Monty Roberts from Gardeners World staking them with rather large stakes, but they were outside. His thoughts if I remember correctly was that you could grow more in a smaller space going upwards instead of outwards.
Sorry not much help as I grow mine outside and just let them do their own thing in a raised bed.
Freeranger
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Re: Courgette support in Polytunnel

Post by Freeranger »

As a learning point, how did you get on with these?
I saw on Beechgrove recently that George cut back his ranging squash plants so am a bit more sure of my ground on that now.
JMcElroy
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Re: Courgette support in Polytunnel

Post by JMcElroy »

Freeranger wrote:As a learning point, how did you get on with these?
I saw on Beechgrove recently that George cut back his ranging squash plants so am a bit more sure of my ground on that now.


The squash plants actually haven't needed as much support as I had envisioned. So I have just let them grow and flower. Haven't had very much success, as many have rotted before they got large enough to pick but the plant is still producing. I am very new to this but have noticed that they are F1 seed, so am going to try open pollinated next time. Hopefully more success.

For my gherkins which I had another support issue with, I used a three prong support with a ring on top and have draped the stems over it - this has worked really well.
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