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Sow courgettes and squashes now for a truly yummy summer
Most children in my postwar generation grew up disliking marrow. When boiled, the soggy flesh tasted like stagnant water. that’s probably why marrow went out of fashion. But infant marrows — courgettes — tell a different story. thanks to increased foreign travel and revolutionary food writers such as Elizabeth David, these became favourite summer vegetables. And after more recent foodie revolutions, we grow and eat squashes, gourds and even oddities such as cucamelons.
these are mostly annual plants grown from spring- sown seed. Most trail or climb, but there are bush varieties of courgettes, suitable for small spaces or large containers. Gourds or squashes can be handsome enough to train over pergolas or arches.
they flower all summer and produce impressive fruit. the best, such as butternut squash, are delicious. others look better than they taste.
this is a good time to buy young plants or to sow seeds. seed suppliers include Franchi at seedsofitaly.com, Mr Fothergills, and thompson and Morgan. Garden centres should have plants on sale, too, but hurry. the season is marching on and the sooner you can plant, the larger the harvest.
ACT NOW
You can sow seed directly into the ground outside from now until mid-May. to come up quickly, seeds need to be sown in moist, fertile, free- draining soil in full sun. If your soil is poor or sandy, build up its organic content with home-made or purchased compost.
For direct- sown courgettes, build up small heaps of a soil/ compost mix, spaced 75-90 cm apart. sow two seeds into each, a few inches apart.
When the seedlings are up, remove or transplant the smaller seedling of each pair. to avoid stem damage, handle any transplants with care, plant them at once and water well.
once the young plants are established, keep the soil moist. At first, some varieties may produce only male flowers. Don’t worry if that happens, but make sure they’re protected from the wind or cold and keep them well watered. If they’re happy, female flowers will appear.
If you’re growing courgettes, gather them young. And if there’s an unwanted surplus, don’t stop picking — the plants will continue to produce.
BUTTERNUT BELTERS
squAshEs are brilliant for novelty planting. I once grew Cucuzza in an old dustbin. the slender, pendulous fruits may look strange but taste delicious. For seed, try Franchi.
trailing squashes can be draped over arches, but the stems are easily damaged by wind, so a sheltered position and full sun are essential.
If you grow heavy- fruited squashes, such as the dramatic turk’s turban, as climbers, the fruits may need supports. Make a little hammock or sling of finemesh netting for each, secured to the support structure.
For nutty flavour and versatile winter cooking, butternut squashes are unbeatable. one of the best, hawk F1, ripens early and bears medium- size fruits. sow now and you could harvest squashes in october.
If you gather those ripe, they’ll keep all winter. Make sure they’re dry, and store in the cool until you’re ready to cook them. Meanwhile, use up any blemished fruits soon after gathering. they’ll taste just as good.