Zucchini (also known as courgette) is originally a Mexican relative of the pumpkin that was developed into its modern form in northern Italy in the 19th century. It is one of the easiest and most generous vegetables to grow — a single plant often produces more zucchini than a household can use in a season.
Popular Varieties
- Black Beauty – Classic dark green, cylindrical zucchini. Early and enormously productive.
- Golden – Bright yellow fruit that is sweeter and more flavourful than green varieties. Decorative in the kitchen.
- Costata Romanesco – Italian heirloom with ribbed fruit and exceptional flavour. Slightly slower but worth the wait.
- Patio Star – Compact bush ideal for pots and balcony growing.
- Rond de Nice – Round, pale green zucchini perfect for stuffing and gratins.
Care
Light
Zucchini needs full sun — at least 6 hours per day. Thrives best in a warm, sheltered position.
Watering
Water deeply and generously, 2–3 times per week or more during heat waves. Zucchini has large leaves that transpire a lot of water. Avoid wetting the leaves — it encourages powdery mildew.
Feeding
Feed every two weeks with a balanced fertiliser. Zucchini is a hungry plant that appreciates rich nutrition, ideally in the form of compost worked into the planting soil.
Pollination
Zucchini has separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The female flower is recognisable by the tiny zucchini behind the flower. If fruit set is poor, you can manually pollinate — bring a male flower to a female flower and transfer pollen with a cotton bud or your finger.
Space
Zucchini is a bushy, spreading plant that needs at least 1 m² per plant. In a container, use at least 30–40 litres.
Common Problems
Powdery mildew is the most common disease. Improve air circulation and avoid evening watering.
Rotting fruit is often due to poor pollination or insufficient watering.
Shield bugs and aphids can attack. Check the plant regularly.
Harvest
Harvest zucchini when they are 15–20 cm long — they taste best young and tender. If you miss a harvest and the fruits grow very large (marrows), they can still be eaten, but the skin becomes tough and the flavour diminishes. Harvesting stimulates the plant to produce more fruit.
