Why wait until April to sow courgettes?

Zucchini, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is a fruit variety that is highly prized for its many culinary applications. Although it's an easy species to grow, it still requires a few prerequisites, starting with its sowing period. If you're in the process of growing courgettes, here's some information you need to know.

Only in April? - Yes, it's hard to wait =)

Opting to sow courgettes during April is useful for more than one reason. Firstly, it is a frost-bearing plant, in other words: it does not tolerate temperatures below 0 degrees. In most parts of France, night frosts can occur until 15 May on average. Planting courgettes before the "Saints de Glace" means you run the risk of seeing them wither away, even in the event of light night frosts.

The second reason to sow this plant in April relates to the germination and rapid development of the seeds. Once sown, the seeds will take just four to six weeks to develop into a plant ready for transplanting. So if you start sowing at the beginning of March, you'll probably have to leave your seedling to vegetate in its pot for almost a month before you can transplant it, to avoid any risk of frost. This means you won't be able to harvest your first courgettes any faster. What's more, you run the risk of weakening the plant, which may even delay the first harvests a little longer while it regains its vigour.

As you can see, courgettes need mild weather conditions to develop properly. Indeed, it is a seasonal plant that needs soil that is both fertile and loose to grow well, but first: all of it must be properly warmed.

How to plant courgettes

Two techniques are used to carry out courgette sowing. These include sowing in pots and sowing directly in situ, which differ in the principle of application. While the former involves transplanting the plants once they have developed, the latter involves planting each kitchen garden in its final location. Bear in mind, however, that whichever method you use, it is essential to ensure that frost cannot reach the young plant, otherwise it may be permanently destroyed.

The technique of sowing in pots is carried out in a greenhouse or inside the house where the pots or honeycombed trays are stored. To apply, simply fill the containers with potting soil beforehand and bury two or three seeds 2 cm deep. As soon as two or three leaves appear in addition to the cotyledon, you can move on to the final stage: that of keeping the best plants and installing them in their final location if the period is right.

The second technique is used after the frost period. As in the previous case, you'll need two three seeds in a hole at least 3 cm deep. This time, however, you'll need to space them at least one metre apart from adjacent vegetables. Make sure you only keep the best plants when they germinate. That's how you'll have the best chance of enjoying great harvests a few weeks later!