COURGETTE - ROMANESCO

 Organic Courgette ROMANESCO

        10 Seeds Pack   

Heirloom Courgette Romanesco is  believed to be originally native to Rome. Its body is lined lengthwise with dark and light green stripes and a pale green to white speckled overlay. Rather than smooth like traditional zucchini the Romanesco has prominent ribs running from stem to blossom end. It can grow up to fifteen inches in length though it is typically harvested at six inches. Whether large or small it consistently offers an exquisite summer squash texture and flavour with nut-like notes and a lingering sweet taste. The  Romanesco plant is also known to produce a significant amount of bright orange blossoms which can be harvested individually or while still attached  and offer a delicate flavour and texture. 

PLANTING & GROWING

Soaking needs to be done at least a few hours before planting, and preferably overnight. To prevent damping off when starting seeds indoors, it’s essential that you disinfect all of your pots, plastic grow trays, seed cells, and seedling tray covers before you reuse them. 

Prefers well-drained, fertile, loose soil, high in organic matter with pH between 5.8 and 6.8. Plentiful and consistent moisture is needed from the time plants emerge until fruits begin to fill out. 

Sow the Nero di Milano courgette seeds late March through April under glass for growing in the greenhouse, or late April through May to transplant outdoors. The seeds can also be sown direct outdoors, in a finely prepared bed, from early June. Courgette plants can be grown in traditional rows on the veg patch, spacing 90cm (36") apart, or dotted around the patch to fill gaps. They perform best in free draining soils. Add plenty of organic matter, such as well rotted manure or homemade compost, when preparing the planting site. Courgettes grow very well in containers. Choose pots of around 10litres in size.

Courgette flowers are insect pollinated. In a cold season when there might be a lack of natural pollinators, or if fruits are just failing to develop, setting can be improved with hand pollination. Pick a male flower (one with no immature fruit behind the flower), pull away the petals and insert the stamen into each female flower to transfer the pollen.  Male flowers produce pollen and nectar, while female flowers produce masses of nectar, with the baby fruit visible at the base of her flower.