Growing Courgettes. Basic advice on how to grow Courgettes.

Zucchini Courgettes - Marrows that are harvested when young!

Courgettes are Marrows!

Any Marrow plant can be used as a Courgette. Bush Marrows are best for growing as Courgettes, and the F1 hybrids are normally better growers and croppers. You simply cut of the young marrows before they mature into the giants which are not often used in the kitchen.

Courgettes are best when harvested at around 5in long. Waiting for them to get to that extra inch or so, will deplete the flavour.

Courgettes are best sown indoors in peat pots - one seed to a pot - at the end of April. They will grow quickly once germinated and may get too big before you can plant them out, so end of April is early enough. You can also buy young plants from mid may at most garden centres,

Plant out only when the soil warms up and there is no danger of frost. Under cloche protection to start will be good idea.
Keep well watered and fed with Tomato feed throughout the growing season.
Space at 3feet apart.
Watch out for mildew on the leaves of the courgette plants.
Do not allow them to grow into mature marrows - crop regularly.