Zucchini Jaune One Ball - Cucurbita pepo

The One Ball Yellow Courgette is a recent variety that produces small, round, golden-yellow and glossy fruits, measuring just a few centimeters in diameter. With excellent taste, they are the ideal courgette for parents who want to introduce this vegetable-fruit to their young children. They are like magic when presented stuffed on a plate. This variety is early and particularly prolific. Harvesting the fruits promotes the production of a new flowering.
Courgettes and squashes are low in calories but rich in vitamins, especially provitamin A, vitamin B, and minerals. The One Ball Yellow Courgette is sown from March to June and harvested from July to September.

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 both for their uniformity and resistance, but unfortunately, their qualities do not pass on to subsequent generations, so it will not be possible to save the seeds for future sowing.

Orange, green, red, yellow, black, or even blue, smooth, ribbed, warty, with tender skin, etc. squashes and courgettes offer us an astonishing variety of shapes, colors, and sizes as they cross-breed with remarkable ease. That's why there are so many varieties.

In common language, winter squash refers to all kinds of pumpkins, butternuts, and squashes with tough skin and delicately sweet flesh. Summer squashes or courgettes, on the other hand, refer to the different varieties that are harvested when the skin is still tender. The latter are consumed with the seeds.

All of them are native to America and belong to the large family of cucurbits. They were introduced to Europe in the 16th century.

• There are about ten species of squashes, four of which are the most cultivated in our vegetable gardens. These are Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita moschata or musky squashes, Cucurbita maxima, and finally Cucurbita argyrosperma.
• Cucurbita pepo: these are the most common in vegetable gardens and include certain pumpkins, courgettes, pattypan squashes, etc. They are generally recognized by their rigid, dissected leaves and their angular stalks with at least 5 ridges that do not widen at the point of attachment to the fruit.
• Cucurbita moschata or musky squashes: they have soft leaves. The stalk is very ribbed and visibly widens at the point of attachment to the fruit. The leaves take the shape of a heart.
• Cucurbita maxima: these are mainly pumpkins. Their stalk is rounded and has a slightly spongy appearance. As the name of the species suggests, it mainly concerns varieties with large fruits. The leaves have 5 lobes.
• Cucurbita argyrosperma: very few represented in our gardens, they have trilobed leaves and a very thick, robust, and non-ribbed stalk.

Generally trailing, they cling to any support with the help of their tendrils. Female flowers can be distinguished from male flowers by their inferior ovary (below the flower), which resembles an embryo of a fruit. In many regions, male flowers are harvested just after pollination to be consumed stuffed or deep-fried. There are many ways to consume squashes and courgettes. Sautéed, fried, gratin, soups, or stuffed. Courgettes are a key ingredient in Provençal ratatouille, Italian caponata, North African couscous, and many emblematic Mediterranean dishes.

Harvesting: Squashes and courgettes are fruits that need a lot of water to bring out their best. Squashes are best when harvested at maturity. Courgettes are harvested young and fresh, while still immature. They should all be handled with care and remain free from any cuts or bruises.

Storage: Courgettes can be cut into pieces and frozen. Their delicate skin is not suitable for storage as is. Winter squashes with tough skin can be stored for several months and consumed throughout the winter. Unlike other fruits and vegetables, they need warmth for optimal storage. There is no need to store them in a dark place, so you might as well keep them where their plump silhouette can be appreciated.

Gardener's tip: Place a slate or tile under the fruit. It will no longer be in direct contact with the ground, thus avoiding rotting due to humidity. They also particularly like slightly moist soils. Remember to mulch around the plants, especially during the height of summer. Squashes and courgettes are highly susceptible to powdery mildew (a fungal disease that leaves a white powdery coating on the leaves). Be careful not to water the leaves or flowers. Associate your squashes with alliums such as chives, onions, or shallots, or with legumes such as beans or peas. On the other hand, the combination of squash and cucumber may be detrimental to both parties.