Here you will find out about growing courgettes.
Courgette are very easy to grow. You only need two to three plants to get a decent crop that should be enough for you and your family. The best time to pick courgettes is when they are small – around 12cm long. Once you pick it there will be another along shortly they grow really fast so you will always have ample amounts to keep you going. Find out about growing courgette here.
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How to sow courgettes
Courgettes are very easy to get going and sow. They can be sown inside or outside but the best way is indoors.
Sow your courgettes in small 7cm pots of compost. Place the seeds around 1 inch deep in each pot. Give them a sprinkle of water and leave them somewhere warm. Keep the compost moist but make sure you do not over water.
How to pot on courgette.
Once your courgette plant is around 3-4 weeks old it will need potting on, they do grow fast. Use a 12cm plant pot and pot the courgette plant on into a bigger pot. Remove the young courgette plant from the small pot and plant it in the new pot, being very careful not to damage the plant. These needs to be planted in multipurpose compost. Water well once transplanted.
Hardening off courgettes
If you have started your plants off indoors you need to get them used to being outside in the cooler weather. Put your plants outdoors but cover them with a cloche at night and leave them outdoors for longer each day. Do this for around 7-10 days and then they will be ready to plant outside.
Planting courgettes outside
Check the weather before planting courgettes outside as they do not like cold weather. Wait for a decent day before planting out. Courgettes need to be planted in a sunny area but it is protected from the wind. Think about where you are going to plant them as the courgette plants take up a big amount of space. The leaves are pretty big.
When planting out courgette plants they need to be planted around 1 metre apart this is because of how the big plants grow.
Courgettes need a lot of food so they need rich soil. Put chicken manure pellets round the plant but up to a metre round the plant. Slugs like to hide under the courgettes so use beer taps near the plants to attract them away from them.
Looking after, the courgette plants
Courgette plants like to be kept moist. When it is warm water well round the plant but not on the plant. Put mulch around the plants to keep them moist. Straw is ideal for this as it protects the fruits from the soil as well. If the plants are not fruiting pollinate the plants yourself.
Harvesting Courgettes
Courgettes are best harvested when they are around 12cm long. The more you keep picking them the more will grow on the plant. You can always use one plant to grow big ones so you can grow them for stuffing.
Now you know all about growing courgette now you can go and grow them.