Courgette Midas F1

Courgette 'Midas' F1 is an early and productive variety, cultivated for its round, intense golden yellow fruits with tender, cream-coloured flesh. With a compact, non-running habit, it can be grown in open ground, in a vegetable patch, or in a large container on a balcony. In the kitchen, its fruits are delicious stuffed, grilled, in ratatouille, or simply sautéed, adding a lovely touch of colour and indulgence to summer dishes. Sow courgette 'Midas' F1 in spring and harvest all summer long, when the fruits reach the size of a tennis ball.

NB: This variety carries the F1 designation for "F1 hybrid" because it is a variety resulting from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This produces a variety that can be particularly flavoursome and/or early while being resistant to certain diseases. Sometimes mistakenly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds are interesting both for their uniformity and their strength. Unfortunately, their qualities are not passed on to subsequent generations; it will therefore not be possible to save the seeds for a faithful subsequent sowing.

Courgette 'Midas' F1 belongs to the botanical family Cucurbitaceae, which includes courgettes, squashes, pumpkins, and patty pans. The species Cucurbita pepo is native to Central America and Mexico, where it has been cultivated for over 5,000 years.

The F1 hybrid variety 'Midas' was selected in Poland for its earliness, productivity, and compact habit. The plant has a bushy, compact, and open habit, with a medium spread of approximately 60 to 80 cm in diameter and a height of 40 to 60 cm. The robust and thick stems bear large, palmate, deeply cut leaves of a medium green marked with lighter spots, slightly rough to the touch. The flowering is very ornamental, beginning in early summer: the large yellow, funnel-shaped flowers reaching 10 to 12 cm in diameter, are unisexual; the male flowers appear first, followed by the female flowers, which will produce fruits after pollination by insects. The fruits are spherical and bright golden yellow. They measure up to 15 cm in diameter. They should be harvested when they measure 8 to 10 cm in diameter. These courgettes contain a cream-coloured, tender, fine, and mild flesh, devoid of bitterness.

The harvest period extends from June to September, 50 to 60 days after sowing, depending on climatic conditions. Pick regularly when the fruits reach the size of a tennis ball. This will stimulate production and prevent the flesh from becoming hard and full of large seeds. Courgettes keep for a few days in the refrigerator, ideally in the vegetable drawer, but are best enjoyed fresh.

In the kitchen, the round courgette 'Midas' F1 is ideal for stuffed recipes. It can also be sliced for grilling, sautéing, steaming, or incorporated into ratatouilles, tians, and summer stir-fries. Its mild flavour and vibrant colour make it decorative as well as tasty.

From a nutritional standpoint, the courgette is a very light vegetable (about 17 kcal per 100g), rich in water and low in carbohydrates. It provides a good amount of vitamin C, provitamin A (beta-carotin, responsible for its golden colour), as well as minerals like potassium and magnesium. Its fibre content contributes to good digestion.

Preservation: Courgettes can be preserved by cutting them into pieces and then freezing them. Their fragile skin is not suitable for preserving whole.

The gardener's little tip: place a slate tile or a roof tile under the fruit to prevent it from rotting due to soil moisture. Remember to mulch around the plants, especially during the height of summer. Squashes and courgettes are very prone to powdery mildew (a fungal disease that leaves a white, downy coating on the leaf surface). Carefully avoid watering the leaves or flowers. Companion plant your squashes with chives, onions, or shallots. Also mix them with fabaceae like beans or peas. Avoid the combination of squash and cucumber, which can be detrimental to both parties.