How to grow courgettes and marrows

The courgette is an easy, quick-growing vegetable often seen in supermarkets, but for some reason, its close cousin, the marrow, is not as popular, despite being equally easy to grow and harvest. Unlike courgettes, marrows can be stored for months, providing nutritious and tasty meals well into winter. Ideal for beginners, find out how to grow courgettes and marrows the easy way.

10 reasons to grow courgettes and marrows

1. Easy to handle, large seeds that are on sale in most shops. 
2. Seeds germinate quickly in any compost.
3. Growth is fast.
4. You only need a 1-metre square growing area, or a grow bag, per plant.
5. Pests or diseases are rare.
6. Low maintenance, they just need water.
7. The more you harvest, the more they grow.
8. Easy to prepare for cooking.
9. They bulk up meals but are fat-free and low in calories. They also contain fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. 
10. Marrows only – they can be stored for months, well into winter.

Our courgettes and marrows last year – what we did

We sowed the seeds on 6th April in the greenhouse, lifted them outside to ‘harden off’ on 24th May, and planted in the ground three courgette plants and four marrow plants on 6th June. By July, we were regularly harvesting courgettes, large and small, meanwhile we were storing our marrows for later use. By 10th August, we had fourteen marrows stored on our wine rack, all for eating over winter! 

By the end of September, we had finished harvesting courgettes and had over forty marrows in storage. We had to eat the courgettes fairly quickly, but were still eating marrows the following February.

We stored the marrows in the dining room in the autumn but when the room became warmer, due to the central heating, we moved them under the stairs and into the utility room over winter.

Recommended varieties: Black Beauty (courgette), Long Green Bush 2 (marrow)

How to grow courgettes and marrows

What you’ll need:

• Courgette or marrow seeds
• Some plant pots 75mm diameter (or around that size)
• Bag of compost or grow bag
• Watering can or jug
• Greenhouse, under glass or on a sunny windowsill- somewhere protected from the weather

What you’ll do:

1. In April, fill each plant pot with compost. 
2. Hold the seed on its edge, blunt end pointing downwards.
3. Push one seed into each plant pot to a depth of about 2cm. Cover with the compost.
4. Water and keep watering every week or so if the compost looks dry. Don’t overwater them.
5. Once each seedling has at least four true leaves (the first two leaves don’t count), lift them outside to ‘harden off’ for a week or so. Keep watering them if they need it.
6. Dig a hole large enough to take the plant and a few handfuls of compost. Plant in the ground or grow bag and water well. 

Caring for courgettes and marrows

Water, water, water is all that courgettes and marrows need. They are thirsty plants so it can be useful to spread some straw around the plant to help stop water from evaporating.

Your efforts will pay off – once you harvest the first, you will soon be swamped by them! 

Harvesting courgettes and marrows

Easy, simply lift slightly and twist off at the base of the stems. The more you pick, the more will grow.

Problems 

As long as you water them whilst they are growing, and keep fruit off wet ground using small pieces of wood, then you shouldn’t encounter any problems.

Storing courgettes and marrows

Courgettes don’t store for long as their skins aren’t tough enough, so store in the fridge and eat within a week or so. You can eat the whole courgette – skin and seeds.

Marrows develop tougher skins that allow them to be stored over winter, but eat any damaged marrows first. Place the others in a shed, cellar, garage or in the home, basically somewhere cool and dry. Make sure they are not touching each other. Keep checking on them, and if any start to turn yellow or orange then eat those first. 

You will need to peel and de-seed marrows before cooking.

Easy Marrow Recipes