Zucchini Ronde de Nice F1 plants - Cucurbita pepo

The 'De Nice à Fruit Rond' F1 Courgette, also known as a gourd courgette, is a highly productive variety, non-runner, easy to succeed. Its fruits, green speckled and round, will be best harvested when young, between 0.5 and 1.5 kg. They are ideal for stuffed presentations. Their flesh is fine, tender and melting. Sow from April to June. Harvest from June to August. Courgettes and squashes are low in calories but rich in vitamins, including provitamin A, vitamin B, and minerals. The young plants of the 'De Nice à Fruit Rond' F1 Courgette are planted from April to July, after the last frost, for a harvest from July to October.

The Courgette (Cucurbita pepo) is a summer squash belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, like other squashes (pumpkin, patidou, butternut, acorn squash, pattypan, kabocha etc.). All of them originate from America and were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. Easily hybridising, squashes exhibit a wide diversity of colours (orange, green, red, yellow, black or even blue), sizes and shapes.

The Courgette is an annual plant with an upright habit, offering beautiful yellow flowers from May to October. It is harvested immature, i.e. before its complete ripeness. The majority of varieties are non-runner, but there are some runner varieties that spread on the ground and will require pinching. Courgettes can be round or long, usually green but sometimes yellow or white.

In cooking, Courgettes are often consumed cooked: sautéed, fried, in gratin, in soups or stuffed, and of course, they are part of ratatouille. Courgettes can also be eaten raw, grated and mixed with other raw vegetables.

These are fruity vegetables that need regular watering to give their best. They like heat and sun and appreciate sheltered areas.

The harvest: it takes place from July to October, by cutting the fruits with pruning shears. Pick the Courgettes when they are young and tender, without letting them grow too big (harvesting on average every 2 days during the peak season). Regular harvesting will promote the development of new fruits. You can also pick the male flowers (preferably in the morning), which can be eaten as fritters or stuffed. The male flowers, which will not produce fruits, appear on the thin and long, unswollen stems.

Storage: Courgettes 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: place a slate or tile under the fruit. It will no longer be in direct contact with the ground, thus avoiding it from rotting due to humidity.