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VegetablesTenderAnnual
Courgette
Courgette is one of the most generous summer crops, producing a steady stream of tender fruits over many weeks in warm weather. Plants are vigorous and broad, making them excellent for productive beds where space can be given over to a crop that repays regular harvesting.
Basic information
Category
Vegetables
Lifecycle
Annual
Hardiness
Tender
Planting partners
4 companions · 1 crop to avoid
Growth profile
Days to harvest
55 days
Germination window
5–10 days
Germination temperature
20–30 °C
Plant spacing
90 cm
Row spacing
120 cm
Sowing depth
2.5 cm
Height
60 cm
Spread
90 cm
Calendar
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Flowering / Harvest
Timings based on average frost dates in the UK. Sign up to set your frost dates.
Care tips
Plant courgettes into rich moisture-retentive soil, mulch well and water deeply in dry weather so growth never stalls. Harvest fruits when they are still small and glossy, because frequent picking keeps the plant flowering and cropping instead of swelling fruits into marrows.
Common pests
Slugs, aphids, powdery mildew, cucumber mosaic virus.
