Grow Marrows and Courgettes

Marrows and courgettes provide considerable yields from modest areas.

They can be used as second vegetables, for their own dishes or even used in chutney, jam and pickles.

With courgettes many will mature together so this make them ideal for freezing for later use.

How Many to Grow?

This is your choice but I would suggest that for a family of four a sufficient crop would be around 2 marrow plants and 4 - 6 courgette plants.

Planting Space

Bush marrow and courgette plants occupy less space than trailing plants and can be gown approx 2 ft apart where the trailing plants will need to be planted approx 3-4 ft apart.

Requirements

Both marrow and courgettes require sunny positions and deep rich soil (in the UK they can even be planted in compost heaps, compost heaps not recommended for hotter climates such as in Cyprus, due to the risk of causing a fire and maybe snakes).

When preparing the bed prior to planting out, remove a good spade of soil and work in a good size bucketful of manure or compost into the bottom of the hole then return the soil you have taken out.

In warmer climates again such as Cyprus it is advisable to dig a resevoir around each planting space to help with the retention of water and also ensure that water goes directly to the plant.

Sowing and planting out

In the UK the best time for sowing would be early May of course this will differ for anyone planting in other parts of the world. I will be experimenting this year and sowing in March, as the rule of thumb I have been given to follow is that planting in Cyprus is 3 months in advance to that of the UK.

Sow into peat pots with seed compost, 2 seeds per pot. When the plants have produced their seed leaves remove the weakest plant, in the UK this is the time to grow on in a cold frame or on a shaded window-sill. Plant out when the plants are stronger and more developed for the UK usually around end May. Water thoroughly when planting out and throughout the growing season and dry spells. If preferred marrow seeds can be planted directly into their growing spaces mid May, still plant two seeds per space and remove the weaker plant just the same.

Marrows and courgettes produce both male and female flowers. Fertilisation is generally carried out by insects, which carry the pollen between the male and female flowers. In dull or cold weather when not many insects are about it is a good time to pollinate the flowers by hand to make sure that the fruits form.

Best time to Harvest

Marrows are best harvested when the fruits are 9-12 in long whilst courgettes are ideally harvested when the fruits are 4 in long.