Zucchini British Summertime F1 - Cucurbita pepo

The British Summertime F1 Courgette (in Latin, Cucurbita pepo) is an early and productive English variety that has a very open habit, allowing it to receive maximum light and be less susceptible to powdery mildew. Non-spiny, it is easily harvested and can be sown under cover from April to May or directly in the ground from late May to late June for a harvest from July to October.

Orange, green, red, yellow, black or even blue, smooth, ribbed, warty, with tender skin... Squashes and courgettes offer an astonishing variety of shapes, colors, and sizes because they hybridize with disconcerting ease. That's why there are so many varieties.

In common language, winter squashes refer to all kinds of pumpkins, potimarrons, and butternut squashes with tough skin and delicately sweet flesh. Summer squashes or courgettes (in Latin, Cucurbita pepo) refer to the different varieties that are harvested when young and the skin is still tender. These are eaten with the seeds when they are still tender.

They all originate from America and belong to the large family of cucurbits. They were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. Generally trailing, they cling to any support with the help of their tendrils. The female flowers can be distinguished from the male flowers by their inferior ovary (under the flower), which looks like an embryo of a fruit. In many regions, male flowers are harvested just after pollination to be eaten stuffed or in fritters.

In cooking, courgettes can be prepared in multiple ways: sautéed, fried, gratin, soups, or stuffed. They are essential ingredients in Provençal ratatouille, Maghrebi couscous, and many emblematic Mediterranean dishes. They are low in calories but rich in vitamins, especially provitamin A, vitamin B, and minerals.

Courgettes are fruit vegetables that need regular watering to give their best. They like heat and sun and should not be planted in the garden before early June.

NB: This variety is labeled F1 for "F1 hybrid" because it is a variety resulting from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This results in a variety that can be particularly flavorful and/or early while being resistant to certain diseases. Sometimes criticized or wrongly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds are interesting for both their homogeneity and resistance, but unfortunately, their qualities do not pass on to subsequent generations: it will therefore not be possible to save the seeds for later sowing.

Harvest: Courgettes are harvested when young and fresh.

Storage: They can be stored for a few days at room temperature or in the bottom of the refrigerator, and cut into pieces then frozen for several months.

The gardener's tip: Don't forget the flowers! Even though the vegetable garden is primarily intended to produce quality vegetables, it is always interesting to plant flowers in it. Firstly, for the aesthetic pleasure they provide, but also to repel pests and attract valuable pollinators. So, don't hesitate to plant Gaillardias, Marigolds, Zinnias, Cosmos, Nasturtiums, or even beautiful herbs like Dill in the middle of the rows or at the edge of the bed. However, be careful with certain plants, such as Borage, which tends to self-seed abundantly in the spaces dedicated to cultivation.