Courgettes not Growing

My courgettes just aren't growing. There are now 4 tiny courgettes and 2 tiny round courgettes that haven't moved for nearly 2 weeks. I've watered them regularly. Just given them some quick acting fertiliser. Is it because we had a heatwave? I'm in SW France, it's usually hot in summer. This hasn't happened before. Courgettes usually have gluts. The round one grew a very big one when we were away, since they I've only harvested one courgette from it and the long one has only made small fruits that then go yellow and fall off. Help! Does anyone know why?

 

The large fruit you had has probably sent the plant to sleep... Thinking it has done its job, this happened often to us due to trips back to the UK, but often the plant would rally again once the large fruit had gone. Perhaps the removal of one or two of the small fruit would help and any small developing male flowers .

 

I have the same problem @Busy-Lizzie . Normally I can't give them away but this year production is slow and sporadic. They're in well composted beds with added manure and regular watering.

The pumpkins are slow too and not abundant in number.

I can accept that the long, slow, wet spring and early summer slowed them down, especially the cool nights but there's no excuse now is there? Warm enough and sunny enough surely?

 

Thank you @DiggersJo, but why is the other plant with normal long courgettes not growing either? It hasn't grown any courgettes worth eating so far.

 

My courgettes have been picked before becoming zeppelins.

Half a dozen in total off two plants. Plenty of flowers and foliage but no sign of new fruits at the mo.

 

I would have asked about you picking the small fruit @Busy-Lizzie as that's another thing I found encouraged more development with zucchini. I wonder if @Obelix-Vendée is having the same problem or a different problem? I seem to recall a mention of quite cold weather in Vendee? Do these plants have many side shoots? If they do I would also cut a few of these off. You could also have another close look at the plants for damage or stay fruits... The latter makes me laugh as we had missed a fruit one year and it was huge when found - I'll try to dig out a picture. Trouble we found was the size of the plants we had in the warm climate they were difficult to sort.

 

I'm wondering, with a lot of what people are saying about failing tender veg and even dahlias, if the cold spring "checked" a lot of plants at planting out stage and after.

I find if that happens the plants rarely do as well as expected and never really fully recover especially if they start to form fruit too early before really getting going.

 

I have a glut of courgettes @Busy-Lizzie, in fact I'm having trouble keeping on top of them. It seems strange that you are only just "up country" from me and yours aren't doing much at all.
Another consideration might be a pollination issue? Mine were very slow to get going but then took off so to speak! I planted four plants, two in a bed that has a seep hose and two in a dry not well fertilized bed with no extra watering only the rain, they are all doing well!

 

Not much help to those of you in France, apart from @floralies, but here they are doing well after a bit of a slow start. I only grow "Easy Pick Gold" and despite losing 2 of the original 3 plants, I'm able to pick sufficient for my needs from the remaining one.
I've also found that regular picking helps with formation of new fruits. Having picked 3 the other day, there are another 2 which should be ready in the next day or 2 and another 5 or 6 forming. It is planted in the compost heap and it has been pretty dry here for the last few weeks - gets the occasional watering but that's it.

 

One thing I have noticed is that there are fewer insects this year. Normally I am surrounded by buzzing as I walk past the wisteria in flower and then thru the wildflower patches to get to the veggie beds and hens. It's been quiet this year.

I don't spray weeds or pests. The only major factors have been that unusually cold, wet spring and also the farmer has retired. He's leased out one barn and his land to two younger farmers to raise cattle and feed crops but the barn and paddocks behind us have stayed empty so fewer flies and I've noticed fewer butterflies, bees and hoverflies too so pollination may be a factor.

 

I think that could be the problem @Obelix-Vendée, lack of pollination. There have hardly been any male flowers either. I suppose the female flowers have to be pollinated to turn into courgettes.

 

Have you tried hand pollinating with a brush? I do that sometimes and it seems to work. There have definitely been fewer bees around here too (in London).

 

I haven't as there haven't been any male flowers for the last 3 weeks. That could be another problem.