Topic: which courgette is best

[sawfish]

I'm intending growing a few stranger varieties of courgette this year for the first time and was wondering if there are any types you might recommend that are differently flavoured from the usual.

I'm trying middle eastern trieste varieties and also tromboncino.

[tim]

Can't say that any are wonderfully flavoured - they are usually a foil.

But for consistency & seedfreeness, we liked White Bush & White Volunteer from Real Seeds (the bottom 5). Not a lot to choose between them.

Also stuffable.

For sheer productivity, Genovese. Like 60 from a plant. And neat with it!

[OliveOil]

I'm not sure which variety i grew last year as they were given to me from here but they were a green bush and lovely... This year though i plan on growing 1 plant of lots of varieties as i grew 4 of the green bush one and it was a bit too much... also grew 4 yellow patty pans and again too much ... This year i will do the patty pans, a couple of round green ones, the green bush one again romanesco and i have some others too.  They are so easy and prolific i would def recommend experimenting with lots of different types.

[tim]

And DO sow them at least 2 weeks apart so as not to fall into the glut trap!

[OliveOil]

out of interest tim - when do you start sowing yours?

[kitten]

I suppose it kind of depends on how many people you have in the family and how many courgettes you eat, but roughly how many plants would you plant if you were say trying 4 diff varieties?

I'm thinking that if we get about 60 off each plant  :o i might only need half a dozen plants lol - although i haven't discovered the delights of chutney making yet.....

[OliveOil]

we are a family of 4 and we had about twice as many courgettes as we could eat, freeze and give away.

All depends on what space you havfe... i would say 2 of each variety and be prepared to have more than you can handle, especially as the season progresses and you cannot stand cooking another courgette.... Funny enough i would love some courgettes right now, fresh from the plot... you do miss them!

[redimp]

I am not a huge fan of courgettes - and also cannot grow them very well.  For a change and for a different flavour, I am growing  'Pattison Orange' Patty Pan - a summer squash, from Real Seeds as well this year.

[tim]

Olive - mid-April - early May.

But DO stagger!

[Jeannine]

I too have a new summer squash that sounds interesting. Is is called Cobans pumpkin but is actually described as a summer squash,it is not a keeper but am told it has a denser texture and more nutty flavour than the usual summer ones so I am looking forward to harvesting it. Does anyone have any experience with this one please. Thank you Jeannine XX

[sawfish]

I found Kurt Cobains pumpkin image...

http://www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/halloween/pumpplans2.html

[busy_lizzie]

We usually grow green bush and zuchinni, both very reliable types, and got a yellow banana looking one and a globe one from the plant share at the lottie last year which were both good.  Have had a tremendous glut these past few years, so wonder what this year has in store for us.  Is it going to be another year of scratching our heads, and wondering what on earth we can do with them all?  :) busy_lizzie

[dandelion]

Last year I grew Green Bush and the round ones from Nice. Only one sowing: the plants kept on producing until the first frost in November. They did get hit by mildew in August when the weather was really hot, but I simply removed the affected leaves and the plants started cropping heavily again in the autumn.  I won't grow the Nice ones again; they took up far too much space (it's a trailing type) and I kept on missing fruits which grew into rather bland footballs rather than tasty tennis balls! I  will grow the Green Bush again this year, as well as a yellow pattypan (Sunburst) and a white lebanese type (kousa courgette). The latter at the request of my OH who likes using them for 'mahsi' (Middle Eastern stuffed vegetables).

[busy_lizzie]

Know what you mean Dandelion. We had one green bush plant that just wouldn't quit. After producing a really heavy harvest, it got very mildewed, and I cut it right down, thinking that was that, and I would be pulling it up next, and what do you know but it started fruiting all over again. It was well into Autumn before it eventually gave up the ghost. I almost felt sad digging it up as it had perfomed so well, and had lived through frosts and everything.  :) busy_lizzie 

[miniroots]

Sawfish - Love the Janis Joplin!  And I think the Bob Marley would work really well, with the light shining through his dreadlocks...

Can you carve courgettes?

[agapanthus]

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,14103.msg135664#msg135664
How about this one!! :)

[hazelize_uk]

i know this is probably the wrong place to stick it but has anyone grown vegetable spaghetti??  the kids are going to give it a go on their 'plots' just wondered what to expect of them! :o

[Jeannine]

Yes, it grows well ,it is a novelty but I found it very bland as a veggie.Kids I know like Jack be Little Pumpkins, they grow as big as an orange,are as cute as a button, very prolific  so everyone gets one and they will scramble over a junk pile or even grow vertically. They are very tasty and if  microwaved make a super meal for one. XX Jeannine Would you like a few seeds?

[hazelize_uk]

i'd love a couple for them to try really want to get them exciting as at the moment they cant see the fun of digging in the cold and wet bless them they have some tiny toms on the go and have bought some hundred weight pumpkins as they want one plant to grow their own to carve for halloween but baby ones sound fab!!  is there anything u need i might have a swapsy for you??

[Pigletwillie]

De nice a fruit ronde are excellent, giving many round fruit, als o good are soleil, a yellow variety.

I sow some plants in Mid April and a second batch in late July to take over from the first ones, which are then starting to tire.