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Hi - can you share your favourite types of courgette? (well - the names of them, you don't have to share the actual courgettes. Although.... ;))

Next year, I'll grow some pattypan (I've still got some seeds left) but they're a bit slow, and not that productive, so I'd like some early and prolific courgettes as well - does anyone have a recommendation?

I suppose I would like good flavour and interesting looking - but more important that they're early and productive.

Which are your favourites?

I think these are called yelow ball LOL I will have to check.taste good.
Click pic to enlarge.
They grow to about the size of a tennis ball.

I like Astia. Have tried the round green ones but They are too rampant

I like Romanesco from Seeds of Italy. It is slightly ridged so has an interesting shape when sliced and a good close texture and a nice flavour. Produces fairly early and I find it to be prolific. It is a bit of a sprawling thug though - you can't have everything!

Thank you all for your replies - they all sound good. I think I'll be growing at least one of them next year!

My favourite is Rugosa Friulana from Seeds of Italy.
http://seedsofitaly.co.uk/product/667

It is a very strange-looking courgette with yellow lumpy skin (sounds horrible but tastes delicious!) It is firmer than other courgettes and tastes lovely.  I've picked loads today and will roast them with onion, tomato and pepper tomorrow. 

One of the ones I am growing this year is Lebanese - it is very light green , shaped more like a small b.utternut and is the perfect shape for stuffing

"Pin stripe" - soft and delicious but currently growing much too fast. Nice smart striped colour.

Another vote for "Romanesco" here. Even after cooking and freezing it keeps its texture. Larger ones will cure in the greenhouse and keep in the house until January...  :)

Lebanese every time!

I'd also vote for the Lebanese variety. I'm also growing Tondo Di Nizza a round green courgette this year, and perfect for stuffing, and the yellow ones (sorry can't remember the name at the moment) are great for salads or pasta dishes.

Oh now it's getting difficult to choose!
I like the sound of all of them.

I came across a description of the white pattypan squash I've been growing on the seedfest website. I had a very low germination rate and no fruit so far! And yet the blurb said "the variety is still one of the best tasting and highest yielding summer squashes available!"

So maybe I got a bad bag of seed. Maybe they don't like my garden. Anyway, I certainly don't think I'll be growing them next year. I'm sulking with them.

I'm a big fan of 'Calivi' at the moment, its a very pale courgette but its flesh is almost avacado like and it tastes delicious. I also like the yellow 'Parador', it stays bushy and doesn't try and run off somewhere.... ;D

Deb P where did you get the seeds? Can't find that variety online?

Quote from: Deb P on July 27, 2009, 12:11:00
it stays bushy and doesn't try and run off somewhere.... ;D

This seems to be a common theme! I've only ever had bush courgettes/summer squash, so I've never had them taking over.

It's one of the few seeds I still get from T&M........they also do Paramor. ;D

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/311/1.html

Growing one ball, eight ball, striato di napoli, and rugosa di friulana. After about 6 years of trial and error have decided these are my favourite.

Any yellow one for me,they seem to be less watery and more flavoursome.

I have tried Parthenon this year - It's an autofruiting (requires no polination) F1.
Lovely bushy plant, very early and loads of fruit. Loads!  I only have two plants but have had over 30 courgettes so far. Taste is good (but not the best) and nice and firm.  Ill think Ill make use of everyone's experience next year and try some of the varieties mentioned in this thread.

I like Clarita lovely flavour sweated in butter.  But a very watery variety if you like rattatoille this is not the courgette for you.  Very resistant to slugs and disease.  Never lost one yet, so crops whole summer.    Unwins have stopped doing it so it is much for difficult to get the seed.

My daughter likes Gold Rush.

QuoteAnother vote for "Romanesco" here

Romanesco forms such a large plant.  Very productive  Slug like it.

My other favourite is Lungo Biano (I called it Bianca with a london accent) slug resistant and also good when cold an wet, no mildew.  Last year it produced a crop when almost everything else gave up.

I have a climbing one that I got in Turkey and that has gone for a ramble up one of my apple trees.   

I quite like the rambling ones get extra space growing them vertically.
I also like Trombetto D'Albenga very few seeds up one end.  Got it at the back of my allotment taking all the light off the path at the back.  Keeps well at at the end of the season.