Get into gardening

Courgettes and marrows taste best when you know that you’ve grown them yourself. Not only is it fun, but it’s quick, easy and cheap too.

When to plant?

April (indoors) or late May (outdoors)

When to harvest?

June – September

Where to plant?

Sunny soil beds, large pots or grow bags (Check the back of packets)

What to do:

Firstly improve the soil by adding around 1/3 compost, to 2/3 soil. This can be done using a garden fork, turning the two together.

Plant two seeds on their sides, about 2.5cm deep and around 50cm apart, depending on varieties. This can be done wherever you like, just make sure you lightly cover them with soil and water.

Once the seedlings have started to grow, take out the smallest and weakest looking one of each pair by hand. This promotes the growth of the stronger seedling.

Plenty of water is essential for your plants, especially when they’re in flower or when the fruits have started to grow. So, water them regularly.

The correct size to pick depends on the variety of courgette, but generally they should be about 10cm long. Use a sharp knife to cut the fruit from the plant. To keep plants productive, you need to pick your courgettes about three times a week. For marrows, wait until they are about 20cm long before cutting.