Anyone ever grow zucchini/courgettes?
 

I've never grown this vegetable but have two small plants in my garden now.

They're only about 2 foot but look as if they're a creeper (like a pumpkin or watermelon maybe?) but the stalks seem extremely fine and delicate at present. There's no way I could even tie them to anything right now.

For that reason I wonder how the plant supports the weight of the fruit? They also appear to be very fast growing which looks as if it may be a problem and at the rate they're growing I'm going to have a herb garden and LAWN filled with zucchini plant. Which would be fine if I had somewhere to walk. :)

I've checked heaps of garden sites online but have varying information. Maybe it depends on the type of zucchini. ?

Should I be growing them on a trellis of some type or what? Some sites say yes, and some say no.

mine grow very fast. That sounds like what they are.

Thanks. :)

I'll let everyone know if they start to remind me of Day of the Triffids. It's starting to feel that way already. :o

They are planted right near my front door and headed my way.

I believe they spread along the ground way out just like cucumbers do. They will take over if they do not have room. Our cucumbers even went out of the fence we had. So we took up that part of the fence and let them go. :)

We plant them where they have LOTS of space to ramble. The joke around here is "Don't leave your car doors unlocked during zucchini season!" Because theoretically, people with baskets of extra zucchini will sneak around leaving them in cars.

At our house, there's no such thing as "extra" squash. When the zukes are small, I slice them thin and sautee them in butter, oil, or even non-stick pan spray. Sometimes with onions. Yum.

I don't do much baking/cooking anymore, but I used to make zucchini bread, cake, muffins from them, or chop them up and cook them with tomatoes, rice and ground beef, etc.

And when we end up with more than we can eat, the chickens LOVE them! So none go to waste.

Drat
 

OK then. I'm in serious trouble!

So tomorrow morning I'll be moving the young ones into a different area.

If I change my mind and tie them up to a trellis, I'll let you know. I just don't want them to touch the ground when they mature.

If they are the normal Zucchini and not some new ultra spreading type - they will get about 2-3' tall and be about 4-5' around, so they do need room.
Some of the newer types are more compact and they do have a climbing one out usually found in specialty garden stores/sites.

but yes pick them while small and slender - they grow over night it seems :)and double the size fast LOL

If you miss a few , the next time you see it - it is huge
The stems will break/crack easily, they are much more brittle than cuke vines.

saute, stir fry, I even slice very thin and put on homemade pizza, zuc layers in lasagna, cassaroles... love it - even raw w/ ranch dip

Thanks to everyone for that great info..

4 to 5 feet around is a worry considering where I planted them. :o

I was raining earlier so the ground is nice and damp. I'll have to move one of them.

I love zucchini. I use them in lots of things so that's why I thought it'd be nice to have fresh ones in the garden. I don't like it overcooked though. I like to cut them in half and steam them quickly so they're still firm and then make a mixture of maybe chopped tomato, a little bacon and some grated cheese (endless filling ideas really) on the top and then under the grill.

Just letting you all know that on Sunday I removed the two really fast growing zucchini plants and gave the herbs their garden back.

I put the zucchinis in two large pots that are sitting above a retaining wall. I figured they can drape down the retaining wall and that way I can keep my lawn from being overtaken. I don't have much space here. They survived the move very well and are still growing so fast it's somewhat unreal. Quite amazing to watch actually. I wish I had more room for vegies.

You've got me so curious Lara...may have to try that too, but not in my herb garden...thanks for the warning! Have resisted planting anything because last night we had another freeze. The sack of perennial bulbs I bought are starting to sprout in the bag so am feeling some pressure to get them in the ground. I have a raised bed herb garden and the sage, mint, chives are all up and spreading...want to get rosemary and sweet basil in but they don't like the cold.

I can imagine Basil not liking the cold. Never really cold here though so don't really know for sure, but I would have thought Rosemary was more hardy?

Did you know that Rosemary will grow from a cutting really easily? I just chop off bits of herbs and put them in water in a little old tea pot on a ledge in my kitchen window where the sun can shine in on them. Before I know it they've got roots. Looks cute too! ;) I usually stick something out the spout. Oregano does well in the spout. Curls all around the place.

I know it's a totally different climate here so no idea how that would work there.

Maybe you could also place some of the herbs in pots/with potting mix against a window where there is light as one would do with violets. Then you will have them ready to go as the cold weather disappears.

Going to try sprouting rosemary! One of my fav. herbs...along with Sweet Basil..and I am awash in oregano..very hardy. I did add new soil to my raised bed because the tomato plants did so poorly last year. Mr.Alffe thought they needed some sand. Sun shining very brightly...hope it warms the air soon.
:hug:

Oh Lara, I have a violet that has never bloomed! I've moved it from window to window, repotted it, great new leaves often but never never a bloom. Suggestions???

The one small ones are tender and sweet. The larger they grow the tougher they get, so try to pick um early. Take a basket to church, take a basket to the MD take a basket to the post office. I share mine all over town. They seem to sprout out of nowhere, and you look one day its a baby, and the next its a giant monster!

Pick um fast. YUM!

Alffe,
Hard for me to suggest gardening tips when I live in this swelter month in month out, year in year out. :o
If the soil mix you have it/them in is good and the light is good then the violet probably may need some sort of nutrient specific for African Violets.

I switched from Aussie view on Google to Web... found this. Isn't that a marvel? ;)
Bold added by me.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/african-violet.htm
African Violet Quick Facts:

Scientific Name: Saintpaulia ionantha
Common Name: African Violet
Light Requirement for African Violet: Bright Light
Water Requirement for African Violet: Evenly Moist
Humidity for African Violet: Average Home
Temperature for African Violet: House
Fertilizer for African Violet: High Phosphorus
Potting Mix for African Violet: All-Purpose
Propagation of African Violet: Division, Leaf Cuttings, Stem Cuttings
Decorative Use for African Violet: Hanging Basket, Table
Care Rating for African Violet: Easy

Well, my plants are taking off. Multiple flowers. I don't know how long it'll take for them to fruit but I don't think it'll be long. So glad I took them out of my herb garden! Can't wait.