It’s a misconception that courgettes are just young marrows. They are part of the same family, along with squash and pumpkins but do have differences. Courgettes tend to be bushy and thin-skinned, whereas marrows tend to be trailing and have thicker skins, making them ideal for stuffing.
12 calories, 2g carbs, 2g sugars, 1g protein, 0g fats, 1g fibre, 11 mg Vitamin C, Thiamin (B1) 0.08mg.
18g calories, 2g carbs, 2g sugars, 2g protein, 0g fats, 1g fibre, 34µg Folate (B9), 341mg Potassium, 0.8mg iron.
Marrows are great fun for growing to show, aiming to harvest the biggest fruit possible. Otherwise, growing courgettes and marrows is really simple and rewarding during the summer months.
Marrows can be sown directly into the ground outside or started off in pots inside.
Sowing outside can be done from late May – June by planting two or three seeds 2.5cm deep. Cover with a cloche and leave for two weeks or until germination has occurred. Once germinated thin the seeds so that only one strong seedling is left.
Sowing indoors has the benefit of creating earlier crops and is a better option in colder regions. To start the seeds indoors aim to sow from mid-late April sow the seed on their side 13mm deep in 7.5cm pots.
Sowing outside should be done from late May – early June. Dig over the site you’re planning to grow the courgettes in and mix in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure. This should be done to the depth and width of a spade’s blade. Once the seed has germinated, cover with a cloche for two weeks or for as long as possible.
Sowing indoors is ideal for colder regions and can be done from mid – late April. Sow the seeds individually on their side in 7.5cm pots filled with compost at a depth of about 1.5cm.
A sunny position is best for growing courgettes and with a rich soil prepared with compost or well-rotted manure.
Make planting pockets 1.2m apart with a spade, about two weeks before planting or sowing seeds outside. The hole should be about the depth and width of a spades blade and fill with well-rotted manure and soil or compost. Over the soil sprinkle a general fertiliser and plant one plant per planting pocket.
Indoor raised seedlings should be planted into the plant pockets from early June after hardening off.
Marrows like to have the soil consistently moist, but make sure to water around the plant not over the plant itself. A high potash liquid fertiliser should be used every 10 -14 days once the fruit starts to swell.
Keep the fruit clean of soil by resting on a piece of glass or tile, or something similar.
Harden off any indoor-raised plants before planting out in June. This can be done simply by moving the plants into a coldframe for about a week prior to planting out. Alternatively move the plants out during the day and bring inside at night for a week, followed by a week or leaving them outside in a sheltered spot.
Prepare the planting location by making a hole about a spade’s depth and width, fill with compost or well-rotted manure and sprinkle over with a general fertiliser. In the centre of each hole plant a courgette, spacing them 90cm apart.
Alternatively courgettes can be grown from a growbag or large container. If so, plant 1-2 per growbag and 1 per container.
The key to great courgettes is regular and generous watering as they grow. They don’t react well to having their leaves splashed so make sure to water the soil around the plant rather than the plant.
Once the fruits start to swell feed every 10-14 days with a high potash liquid fertiliser.
A marrow is a cucurbit, which means it’s from the same family as the melon, cucumber, squash and courgette. The marrow is actually a courgette that has been left on the plant to grow a little longer; likewise, if you pick a marrow when small, it’s classed as a courgette.
Once the fruits start to swell feed every 10-14 days with a high potash liquid fertiliser.
Harden off any indoor-raised plants before planting out in June. This can be done simply by moving the plants into a coldframe for about a week prior to planting out. Alternatively move the plants out during the day and bring inside at night for a week, followed by a week or leaving them outside in a sheltered spot.
18g calories, 2g carbs, 2g sugars, 2g protein, 0g fats, 1g fibre, 34µg Folate (B9), 341mg Potassium, 0.8mg iron.
12 calories, 2g carbs, 2g sugars, 1g protein, 0g fats, 1g fibre, 11 mg Vitamin C, Thiamin (B1) 0.08mg.
The key to great courgettes is regular and generous watering as they grow. They don’t react well to having their leaves splashed so make sure to water the soil around the plant rather than the plant.
Trailing varieties grow outwards not upwards. Youll need to train the trails by pinning them in circles on the ground or encouraging them over a sturdy support, tied at regular intervals. Pinch out the tips of the main shoots of trailing varieties when they reach 60cm long. Water heavily every 7-10 days as soon as the fruit starts to form.
Your plants may have run out of steam by mid-summer (all that fruit from one small seed!). To keep in courgettes throughout autumn, sow plants a few months apart. You can also eat the delicate orange flowers of the courgette plant. Pick them as they start to open and use them immediately. Fancy and delicious …
Although courgettes can take up a lot of space, this doesnt mean the plot-less are excluded from growing marrow plants. Use a large pot with good rich compost and water constantly. You will need to support the trails, training them upwards rather than outwards, so get a strong support system (the railings of a balcony will do nicely).
Plants typically produce about 15 fruits so dont grow more than two unless you have an army to feed. Sow in situ in late May/early June in sunshine. For trailing varieties, dig a hole 30cm deep, 120cm apart (60cm apart for bush varieties). Fill with well-rotted organic matter and leave a low mound at the top. Sow three seeds 2.5cm deep and a few centimetres apart at the centre of each mound. Cover with a cloche to hasten germination. When the first true leaves appear, thin out leaving only the strongest seedlings.
Courgettes and marrows require the same growing conditions, but if you want to grow courgettes, dont simply buy marrow seeds and harvest them early. Likewise, if you want marrows, dont simply leave courgettes to mature on the plant. Different varieties have been specifically developed, so use appropriate seeds for best results.
What is the difference between zucchini and baby marrow?
FAQ
What is the difference between a marrow and courgette?
What are marrows called in America?
Can I substitute marrow for courgette?
Do zucchini grow into marrows?
Are courgettes and marrow the same?
Courgettes and Marrows are members of the same family the Cucurbita pepo cultivars. Therefore the courgette and marrow do look the same but have different cultivators. Courgettes are also known as zucchini which is the Italian word for courgette or little gourd, but the word zucchini is also very popular in America.
What is the difference between Courgette and marrow squash?
Courgette, also known as zucchini, is a type of summer squash that is typically harvested when it is small and tender. It has a thin, edible skin and a mild flavor. Marrow, on the other hand, is a larger variety of squash that is typically harvested when it is more mature. It has a thicker skin and a slightly sweeter flavor than courgette.
Is a Courgette a marrow or a pepo?
Botanically courgette are a fruit called a pepo, the swollen ovary of the courgette flower, with a hardened epicarp. So back to the first question … What’s the difference between a courgette and marrow? It’s about breeding. The difference is in the physical characteristics but both are the same species.
Do courgettes grow bigger than marrow?
However, courgette plants are usually a bit bushier, with marrow plants often trailing along the ground. Courgettes also tend to crop up around May, whereas marrows are often ready for harvesting in July. While courgettes can grow very big (as you might have seen yourself), marrows can grow even bigger and there are even competitions for this.