The Garden of Eaden: HOW TO GROW COURGETTES FROM SEED

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Although considered to be a vegetable, courgettes - otherwise known as zucchini - are actually the immature fruit of a marrow squash – more specifically, the swollen ovary of the female flower. Courgettes can be yellow, green or light green, and generally have shape similar to a ridged cucumber, although there are a few cultivars available that can produce a rounded or bottle-shaped fruit.

Like all summer squash, courgettes can trace their ancestry back to the American continent, however the varieties of squash typically known as ‘courgette’ were actually developed in Italy - many generations after their introduction from their country of origin. The first records of courgettes in the United States date back to the early 1920s - almost certainly brought over by Italian immigrants.

How to start courgettes off indoors

In order to achieve an early crop - and yet have protection against late, spring frosts - courgettes can easily be started off indoors. Courgette seed can be sown any time from mid March through to late May. Using a good quality soil-based compost such as John Innes ‘Seed and Potting’, fill 3 inch pots to within ½ inch of the top of the pot. Sow two seeds per pot – on their sides - placing each seed ½ an inch deep.
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Temperature is important when it comes to germinating courgette seed and so once they have been watered in they will need to be placed in a warm, bright position at a temperature of between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively they can be placed in a heated propagator.

Once the seedlings emerge, the weaker one can be removed from each pot. Harden off the young plants by putting the first sowing into cold frames at the end of May. Plant them out after about two or three weeks once the risk of late frosts have passed.

Remember to water the pots well before planting out, and avoid holding the plants by their stems as they are easily bruised causing irreparable damage.

If the weather is cool, cover each plant with a cloche for the first week or so, to give them a little extra warmth and protection. Alternatively, use half of a clear plastic 5 litre mineral bottle. Cut the bottle into two halves in order to make two excellent cloches. The top half - whilst giving good protection against the weather – will also allow air and moisture to circulate through the neck of the bottle.

TOP TIP. To prevent flying insects entering through the neck of the bottle, cover with a small piece of fleece and secure it in place with an elastic band.

How to start courgettes off outside

Courgettes prefer heavier soils, and will always do best in a sunny, sheltered position - away from cold winds. When it comes to preparing the ground, it is well worth adding plenty of well rotted farm manure before hand – in fact, this can be done as early as the previous autumn.

.If you intend starting early, you can protect an early planting with cloches. It is a good idea to put your cloches in place where you plan to plant your courgette plants a couple of weeks before you need them as this will to help warm up the soil below. Doing this will greatly increase your early planting chances of success.

.If you are going to sow your courgettes from seed directly into the ground then you can do this any time from early May onwards – around about the time of the last late frosts. With cloches you can sow courgette seed up to three weeks earlier.
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