Courgettes, also called `zucchini’ or `marrow’, are very-easy-to-grow vegetables that belong to the pumpkin and squash family. Courgette plants come in many different varieties and produce beautiful, large yellow flowers that grow on stems (flowers are approx. 15 cm big).
The flowers are full of pollen and are being sought out especially by bumble bees. Courgette flowers open widely in the sunshine which makes it easy for the bees and other pollinators to fly inside. We have spotted bumble bees resting inside the big flowers for hours at a time, sunbathing or even staying there over night. The plants therefore not only provide pollen, but also shelter for insects.
Courgettes are very easy to grow although they need a lot of space. For one plant we recommend approx. 1 square metre in your garden plot. The plant originated in the warm climate of the regions around Mexico, and therefore prefers mild climate zones. If you live in a colder climate, you can still grow courgettes in your garden though!
There are different possibilities to sow the seeds: You can either sow the seeds directly into the soil of your garden plot (approx. 2 cm deep) starting from mid May when you live in a cooler climate zone. To get them going a little sooner, you can also sow the seeds into plant pots or module trays on your window sill in mid April, and plant the courgette plants out in mid May when there are no more frosty nights to come. You need to make sure to keep the sprouting seeds and growing plants moist and to water them plenty when the soil is dry, especially during hot summers.
The plant not only provides pollen and shelter for bees in your garden, but also produces plenty of veg that is best harvested when it’s between 15-20cm long. Even the flowers are edible, and taste super delicious when fried after being dipped into pancake dough, but as we are trying to create havens for pollinators, it is best to leave the flowers as a delicacy for the bees.
If you wanna make an impact and preserve courgette varieties that are not commonly or commercially grown, we recommend you to grow these organic heirloom varieties that are perfect for hobby gardeners:
Courgette `Costates de Romanesco’ (Heirloom courgette from Italy, regarded as an almost forgotten variety. Produces long pale green vegetables with lighter coloured ribs.)
Courgette `Coucourzelle’ (Heirloom variety from around 1826 with dark and pale green stripes.)
Courgette `Trombonchino’ (Climbing heirloom variety which was fist cultivated around 1800 in Italy, which produces long, thin and pale green vegetables that curve with one end thicker than the other.)
For more reading about heirloom vegetables we recommend:
Thomas Etty and Lorriane Harrison (2016): Heirloom Plants: A complete Compendium of Heritage Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs and Flowers. Ivy Press.
Comments