Courgette Plant 'Green Defender'

Courgette plants are a fantastic addition to any garden, offering a delicious and versatile vegetable that can be used in a variety of dishes. Growing courgettes is relatively straightforward, and with the right care, you can enjoy a plentiful harvest. This guide will provide you with all the information you need to grow healthy and productive courgette plants. 

Choosing the Right Variety of Courgette Plants 

Selecting the right variety of courgette plants is the first step in ensuring a successful harvest. Popular varieties include: 

Green Bush Courgettes 
These are the most common type and are known for their dark green skin and tender flesh. 

Yellow Courgettes 
Yellow courgettes add a splash of colour to your garden and dishes, and they have a slightly sweeter flavour compared to green varieties. 

Round Courgettes 
Perfect for stuffing, round courgettes are unique and can make an attractive addition to your garden. 

Additionally, some courgettes are striped, such as the Romanesco Latino variety or the Goldmine. 

Preparing the Soil for Courgette Plants 

Courgette plants thrive in well-drained, fertile soil. Here are the steps to prepare your soil: 

Soil Testing 
Conduct a soil test to determine the pH and nutrient levels. Courgettes prefer a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. 

Adding Organic Matter 
Incorporate plenty of organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, into the soil to improve fertility and drainage. 

Ensuring Proper Drainage 
Ensure the planting area has good drainage to prevent waterlogging, which can lead to root rot

Courgette Plug Plants: Once your plug plants have been delivered, remove them immediately from their packaging. Place them in a shallow dish of water for a few minutes to soak the plug of compost. Ideally, these should be potted on immediately or if not, within a day or 2, keeping the plugs indoors in a warm and sunny place and ensuring the compost plug does not dry out. You may need to turn the plugs around as they will start to grow towards the light. 

Potting on Courgette Plugs: When you are ready to pot the plugs on, lift them by their leaves, not the stem, as these bruise easily and can cause disease to enter and kill the plants.  Pot into 9cm pots filled with potting on compost by making a hole big enough for the plug to go into. Plant so the seedling leaves are still proud of the surface. Tap to settle the compost and give them a good water. 

9cm and 13cm Plants: Upon receiving your Plants: Remove the pots immediately upon receipt and give them a good water. If particularly dry, plunge them into a bucket of water until no air bubbles are seen from the compost. Keep them in a warm place and keep well-watered until ready to plant. 

These plants are larger and more mature than plugs and are ready to be planted straight away but will still benefit from hardening off before their final planting. 

Courgettes like a peat-free, soil-based or multi-purpose compost. Courgettes are heavy feeders so add some well-rotted manure or garden compost if you have some.