Gardeningtipbooks Easy Gardens (Growing courgettes)

Pretty plants

Gardeningtipbooks easy gardens. Here is another easy to grow plant that provides food for the table quickly and over a long growing  period. I grow courgettes every year as they are simple to start off and only require watering to produce a large amount of food that is very flexible in its use once arriving in the kitchen. The little yellow trumpet like flowers are nice to look at too, and make a colouful addition to the vegetable patch.

To start the seeds off in the spring once the weather is reasonably warm, I put one seed to each small pot, just putting the little white seed flat just below the surface of the compost filled pot. Water and place indoors or somewhere warm to get them to germinate, putting a plastic cover over them helps, an old see through food container works well in keeping in moisture and raising the temperature a couple of degrees. Also keep them somewhere light to promote growth once they get going, remove the cover once the green shoot appears and just keep warm and moist until they become more sturdy. Normally the last week in May is warm enough to put seedlings out side in England but be aware frost can still be a problem so put only half the amount out and leave the remainder another couple of weeks before planting outside. Pot up as many plants as you think you may need, it is probably best to do a few extra in case of any loses. Once big enough they can be planted where required in a prepared spot in the garden, they even look good and grow well in among the flower beds given a reasonable place to spread about as they do.

As with most seedlings  plant them with as much of the compost as you can gently placing in the small hole dug to contain them and firm down the surrounding soil and water in. Now the main part is done and just water as needed to keep the soil moist, more so as the fruits grow which contain allot of water and get rather greedy. First the yellow flowers arrive and just behind that the courgette appears, just let them grow to about four inches long before cutting them from the plant for the best taste and firmness. If you have planted quite a few of these plants you may need to employ a cookery book to find some ways to use up your supply of courgettes as they grow over the next couple of months. Hope you enjoy your Gardeningtipbooks hints and tips to help you grow healthy food for your family and save some money at the same time. The price of a packet of seeds is minimal for what you get in return, plus allot of enjoyment in looking after and producing your own food.

Regards MJ.  ( I like my courgettes steamed with lots of butter on them) Try it out. Gardeningtipbooks.com