VEGETABLES > MARROW
IN THIS GUIDE
MARROW GUIDES
essence do n’t get enough love , really .
These long , cylindrical vegetable grow large and quickly , and go a amazingly longsighted fashion in the kitchen .
Their docile flavour is evenhandedly versatile , lend itself well to roasting , grilling , and various other cooking styles – and to top it off , they ’re easy to grow .
Marrows are vegetables nearly related to melon , squashes , and pumpkins .
They deal a standardized grain , if not a footling squelchier , and have a gentle flavour that acts as a canvas for other flavours to make for upon .
Overview
PreferredFull Sun
ExposureSheltered
Height0.5 – 1 MiB
Spread1 M ( or more , depend on multifariousness )
Bloom TimeJuly – October
PreferredMost Fertile Soil Types
MoistureMoisture retentive
pHAny , except strongly alkaline
Marrows are also very similar to courgettes , which makes mother wit considering that it ’s the same plant .
Leave a zucchini on the vine for longer and it will keep growing , at some full point hit the right-hand size to be classed as a marrow .
Zucchini is the American Logos for courgettes and it sits in the Cucurbita genus ( Cucurbitaceae family ) as a common congener of squash , melons and cucumbers.1Cucurbita pepo ( marrow ) . ( 2022).CABI Compendium.https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.17069
The concept of courgettes came later , as gardeners discover the svelte departure in mouthful between those vegetable left to mature for a longer metre on the industrial plant .
How To Grow Marrows
marrow like full sun , wet - retentive grunge , and shelter from the component .
get a dapple that fits these standard , and you ’ll be rewarded with a healthy marrow crop before long enough .
It ’s well-situated to acquire kernel from source , and mail boat should be useable from all good garden retailer .
you’re able to sow in indoors or outside , too , have you flexibility to choose the method best suited to the outer space and time available .
To sow meat outdoors , put source about 2.5 cm deep into the ground . Aim to sow outdoors in May or June .
We commend set 2 or 3 for each works you require , in hole close together – cover each with plastic , clear , a cloche or alike to keep pests aside , and aim to bequeath them undisturbed for a couple of weeks after germination .
Before the next step , remove all but the strong seedling .
Your plant life should be around 1 MB apart , and the same is true for transplanted marrows .
To sow kernel indoors , sow individual cum about 15 mm deep in pot at least 8 cm deep ; rest the seeds on their minute sides .
you’re able to do this in April as long as temperatures wo n’t come below 18 ° 100 .
Marrows take special planting pouch prepared before you plant them out .
This involves take up out about 15 column inch square ( width , height , deepness ) of dirt and filling with compost .
Do this a mates of weeks before you contrive to implant out your sum seedlings , to ensure the young plant has all the nutrients it need as soon as it hits the ground .
Make one planting sack for each plant .
Alternatively , thoroughly fork the soil in the area where you ’re planting and add generous amount of money of constitutional matter , such as home - made compost .
If you sowed your marrow seeds indoors , you ’ll need to harden them off before implant out .
For one week leave the plant outdoors during the day and bring indoors overnight .
Then , the next workweek , leave outdoors in a very sheltered spot for the whole week .
This will get them acclimated to outdoor conditions , without shocking them too much that it ’ll cause damage .
If you ’re not keen on depart seedling indoors or outdoors you may buy untried vegetable marrow plants from garden stores , and these are ready to imbed directly into the ground .
marrow also grow well in container or growbags ; just verify the container is big enough !
Diameter and tiptop should be at least 45 centimeter .
With growbags , do n’t plant more than two heart seedlings in a base otherwise it ’ll get crowded .
Whatever method you take , aim to plant out your marrows in May or June .
Marrow Plant Care
These big plant need plenty of water system to keep healthy .
Take aid to irrigate the soil , not the plant , as overly dampish experimental condition topside can lead to harm .
If possible , labor a modest jam next to , or shallow moat around , next to the centre , taking forethought not to damage it , and water supply into that will see that the water goes to the roots rather than the parts of the works just below the soil .
Hydrating ascendent rather than plant material shorten the risk of guff .
Once you spot your first newbie marrow , feed the plant fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser luxuriously in Potassium .
Doing so will encourage more growth , giving you bountiful marrows further down the line .
Not many vegetable need this step , so you may not have visualise it before .
We recommend commit each marrow on a flat aerofoil ( like a tile ) to keep it away from the dirt .
This prevents scuffing on the bottom , and should lead to easily - looking veggies at harvest time .
Harvesting
When the marrow is at the size you want it , simply pluck it from the stem .
Marrows are often quick to harvest in July and will preserve to ripen until October , give you a long harvest season .
And if you ’re not feeling patient , remember you could harvest small core as courgettes .
Common Problems
marrow are prone to a few issues , but knowing what you ’re up against is usually enough to prevent catastrophe . Here ’s what to keep an middle on .
In year with hapless weather condition in the former summertime , you may find that your marrows are small or non - existent .
This is because of lack of adequate pollination and will , when the weather gets better , solve itself .
Just be patient and prepare for the eventuality of glean a lilliputian by and by than initially be after .
Sometimes you ’ll find blankets of grey mould cover parts of your centre plant .
This is more likely in humid conditions , supply a good reminder of why it ’s authoritative to water theroots , rather than the top of the works .
If you do see mould , slay and ruin the infected areas to prevent the issue from spreading elsewhere on the plant .
“ As well as grey mould , powdery mould , which forms a white finishing on plants , can be a common trouble with heart and soul , ” says Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish .
“ I find it ordinarily modernize on stressed plants , such as those space too airless together , water irregularly or overfed .
“ Slugs will also devour youthful plants . I ’ve found woollen pellets to be a useful defence reaction , which additionally can be used to mulch marrow plants . Mulching is useful for retaining soil wet . ”
Soon you ’ll be babble out the delinquent praises of this currently unsung vegetable , welcoming it into your kitchen and exploring the myriad way it can be used .
