Zucchini Long Green Striped - Cucurbita pepo

The Courge Long Green Striped is a vigorous and prolific variety that produces green striped fruits that can be eaten at the courgette stage or when fully ripe. It can be stored for a long time at 10°C (50°F). It can be sown indoors from April to May or directly in the ground from late May to late June for a harvest from June 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, pumpkins, etc. with tough skin and delicately sweet flesh. Summer squashes or courgettes (Cucurbita pepo in Latin) refer to the different varieties that are harvested when the skin is still tender. The latter are consumed with the seeds, when they are still tender.

All of them are native to America and belong to the large cucurbit family. They were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. 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 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, gratinated, in 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 thrive. They love heat and sunlight and should not be planted in the garden before early June.

Harvest: Courgettes are harvested when they are young and fresh.

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

Gardener's tip: Don't forget the flowers! Even though the vegetable garden is primarily intended for producing quality vegetables, it is always interesting to plant flowers there. 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 some plants, like Borage, which tends to self-seed abundantly in dedicated growing spaces.