COURGETTE
Probably the most popular form of all the marrow family. Picked young for use in a whole host of different dishes. Constant cropping is required to keep the plants in production. Sow single seeds in pots or modules, placed pointed end downward, under glass at 15 degrees C in April or sow 2 – 3 seeds at each station direct in the growing site after all chance of frost. Cover with a cloche or even a jam jar to encourage germination. This to a single seedling as soon as possible. Harden off pot grown seedlings before planting out. Allow 90cm each way around plants. Water very regularly and feed often.
A Courgette is a small immature marrow, Courgette is French for small squash and the Italian zucchini or zucca means the same.
You can buy varieties bred to produce either lots of courgettes or a few marrows.
Leave courgettes unpicked and you will get club-shaped marrows, but not many before they stop flowering. Pick marrows immature and you will get small stripey courgettes - but not many.
But, grow a courgette variety and pick regularly you should get up to 30 small fruits through the summer.
Try courgettes thinly sliced and eaten raw. Cooked on a griddle or in a stir fry, or fried in a light batter as chips.