Chris is a gardening writer and nature enthusiast. He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2022 with an MA in Psychology. Chris works with the Leeds Green Action Society, helping their food cooperative by growing various fruit and vegetables on their two allotments in Hyde Park, Leeds.
Reviewed By ROY NICOL
Roy is a Professional Gardener and Horticultural Consultant, specialising in large garden year-round maintenance and garden development. He is an RHS Master of Horticulture and uses his research in the application of no-dig methods in ornamental garden settings. Roy has been a Professional Gardener for more than six years and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, Professional Gardener's Guild and Association of Professional Landscapers (Professional Gardener).
IN THIS GUIDE
A tasty and delicious treat, courgettes are an ideal addition to your vegetable patch.
With sunlight and regular watering, your family will be adding courgettes to every meal in no time!
Courgettes, also known as Zucchini, are a ‘summer squash’ that was originally cultivated in North America.
Overview
| Botanical Name | Cucurbita pepo |
| Common Name(s) | Courgette / Zucchini |
| Plant Type | Fruit (commonly believed to be a vegetable) |
| Native Area | N/A (Cultivated) |
| Hardiness Rating | H2 |
| Foliage | Large edible leaves |
| Flowers | Yellow, edible, followed by the edible fruit |
| When To Sow | April, May, June |
| When To Prune | August, September, October |
Sunlight
Preferred
Full Sun
Exposure
Sheltered
Size
Height
Varies
Spread
Varies
Bloom Time
June – September
Soil
Preferred
Fertile Loam
Moisture
Moist but well drained
pH
Any
They can reach up to 1m in length and are part of the Cucurbitaceae family which also contains familiar plants such as squash, pumpkins and gourds.1Courgettes: King of the summer veg. (n.d.). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/summer-veg-courgette
If you’ve not seen a courgette before, they are green in appearance and sometimes have streaks of yellow.
They’re a firm fruit (often mistaken for a vegetable) and while the outside has a thick green skin, the inside of a courgette is lighter, with a very light yellow interior.
In this guide we explore some of the reasons to grow your own courgettes at home, some tips and tricks to grow a bountiful crop and some advice on caring for your delicious green veggies.
Growing your own vegetables sounds daunting but, once you get started, can become a really enjoyable and exciting activity!
Watching your seeds grow into full-sized vegetables can be very rewarding.
Below, we look at some tips for growing your courgettes at home.
Where To Grow Courgettes
Initially, you will want to sow your seeds in an indoor pot or module tray.
It’s important that you sow courgette seeds on their sides initially, to help them push through the soil a little easier.
A veg patch is a perfect spot for growing your courgette seeds outside as they enjoy positions in full sun with moist soil.
If you don’t have the luxury of a vegetable patch, find a sunny spot in your garden with plenty of space for your courgettes.
Remember to acclimatise your veggies first with some shorter periods outdoors (for between ten to fourteen days) before leaving them out in the warm sun permanently.
For optimum growth, use free-draining soils enriched with natural materials such as horse manure and homemade compost – courgettes thrive in moist soil conditions, so regular watering is important.
“Courgettes will even happily grow in an old compost heap that’s rotted down but not yet spread around the garden,” shares Roy Nicol, a Professional Gardener and Horticultural Consultant.
“This is a perfect way to make use of an otherwise unused area of the garden.”
When To Grow Courgettes
After sowing indoors, you can plant outside once the last frost has been and gone – late May/early June is usually safe.
If you’re unable to grow them inside initially, you can plant the seeds directly into your veg patch or outdoor space in June.
If (in the typical unpredictable fashion of British weather!) the air suddenly turns cool after you’ve planted them outside, cover them with a cloche or a fleece to protect them from the colder overnight temperatures.
Doing so can also help prevent one of the most common diseases that courgettes face called ‘Powdery Mildew’ – more on this later in the article.
How Long Do They Take To Grow?
If you’ve started with seeds in April, your courgettes should be ready to pick in late July or early August, ideal for a summer salad!
It’s important to check them regularly in that time, to stop them from growing too large.
Unfortunately, courgettes left to grow bigger than 10cm or so can lose their delicious flavours and smooth textures, so regular picking is important to preserve crop health and flavour.
Courgette Plant Care
Now you’ve learnt some top tips on getting started with your courgettes, there are a few things to think about when caring for your tasty summer vegetables.
As mentioned above, it’s important that they’re kept in full sunlight and covered if the weather suddenly turns cold.
Courgettes need plenty of space to grow, so space each plant 60-90cm apart for maximum growth.
It’s important that their soil is kept moist at all times, so be sure to regularly water the soil to keep the environment optimal for growth.
“It helps to plant courgettes in a concave hole improved with plenty of organic matter such as manure,” shares Roy.
“This feeds the plant and encourages water to funnel down to the roots of the plant.”
However, when watering, don’t water the courgettes themselves – instead, water the soil around them to keep their environment moist and nutritious.
Common Problems
Slugs & Snails
There are a couple of common pests and diseases that might affect your crop of courgettes.
The most common enemies of outdoor plants in general are slugs and snails, particularly so for young courgettes.
The best way to deal with this on a vegetable patch is by using slug pellets (take care to use pellets certified for organic use made with ferric phosphate which beneficially breaks down into the soil) and/or a physical barrier to deter them (such as sheep wool or broken egg shells), especially in the crucial early growing stages.
“Another effective organic method of slug control is applying nematodes to the soil, as these kill slugs and deter snails,” Roy adds.
Once the courgettes are older and stronger, these can be removed and the courgettes will be able to handle slug and snail damage.
Powdery Mildew
One of the most common diseases that affects courgettes (as well as other plants and trees) is the ‘Powdery Mildew’ fungus, which looks exactly as it sounds!
It will be obvious if your plants are affected, as the fungal disease appears with white spots or patches on the leaves.
It mainly attacks when there are uneven temperatures and water levels, often caused by cooler nights and warmer days in the summer months.
It’s important also to check that your soil is draining freely and that each of your courgettes have enough space to grow, and aren’t overcrowded.
Once you’ve removed the affected leaves, add some additional grass clippings or compost to your soil to retain moisture, and keep up-to-date with your regular watering schedule!
Fusarium wilt
Another common garden fungal disease is Fusarium Wilt.
It’s particularly attracted to plants and vegetables as it survives indefinitely and spreads by contaminating soil – this means that it can quickly spread between plants in close proximity, such as those in a vegetable patch.
The Furasium works its way into the roots of young vegetables and plants and blocks the vessels which absorb and transport nutrients and water to the plant.
Generally, it manifests as wilting initially, followed by a lack of plant growth which may then lead to the plant dying.
Although it sounds scary, it can be prevented with good hygiene practices – rotating plants and sterilising any new plants which are added to the garden or vegetable patch.
Blossom End Rot
Courgette rot or ‘Blossom End Rot’ will turn one end of your vegetables a yellow or brown colour.
If only a small portion is affected, you can safely cut off the end and enjoy the rest of the vegetable.
However, if the entire plant is yellow or brown in colour, there’s no going back.
Blossom end rot tends to happen if the courgettes are low on calcium, which is usually a result of irregular watering.
A lack of water also means a lack of calcium, so the plant won’t be able to draw up the calcium through its roots – this is another reason why regular watering is so crucial for a healthy crop.
“As soils almost always have sufficient calcium, some adjustments to the watering regime will ensure the plant can absorb this nutrient adequately,” shares Roy.
Luckily, it’s not contagious! Simply pick the affected courgettes, and keep a closer eye on your watering schedule and pH levels to prevent it from happening again.
