Organic Courgette Seeds

Courgette Dundoo F1 4 Organic Courgette Seeds £1.30 123

• Excellent hybrid giving good yields
• Smooth, easy to pick, fruits
• Tolerant of common diseases

OK, courgettes are technically a fruit, but more commonly referred to as a veg!  They are easy to grow and will reward you with a fantastic harvest.  Two to three courgette plants are generally enough for the average family as, when well watered and harvested regularly, each plant can easily produce 20 fruits!

Sowing Instructions

Sow: April or May under glass (plant on their sides around 1cm deep in individual pots), or, as they are frost tender, late on in May or early in June, directly into well prepared soil, once you’re sure frosts have past in your area.   

Plant out: when all risk of frost has passed, 50-60cm apart in a sunny, reasonably sheltered spot, in well drained, fertile soil.

Aftercare: Water frequently, particularly when the plant is fruiting.  Applying a mulch around young plants will help retain moisture.  Straw, or similar material, placed under fruits developing close to the soil will also prevent them rotting.

Harvest: Regularly from July to September while the fruits are young and tender, anywhere between 7 and 15cm in length for the best flavour and texture.  Regular picking will also encourage the plant to continue producing and extend the season.  Dundoo F1 has an open habit which makes picking easier than some other varieties.

Slug Tips: Defend against possible slug attacks on young courgette plants by using a plastic bottle, with the base cut off, as a cloche or surround the plant with a ring of gritty material such as crushed egg shells, course sand or bark.  You can also buy purpose made copper rings (or copper tape for container grown plants).   Another idea is to try sinking beer or milk traps into the soil near to tender plants. Nematodes (tiny organisms which are harmless to children and wildlife as well as plants) are also reckoned to be very effective in the non-chemical war on slugs.  

Cooking Tips

Enjoy raw in salads or sliced into 1cm discs and steamed for 3-4 minutes/sautéed in a little butter or olive oil.  Try grating courgette into an omelette or frittata or adding ribbons to pasta dishes.  Soups are a great way to use up a glut and are really the only way courgette can be successfully frozen. Any don’t forget the flowers.  With their delicate flavour, they are delicious stuffed, dipped in batter and lightly fried, tempura style.