Marrow

Overview

Marrows - Curcurbita pepo cv. ovifera                                                 Rotation group – Others

Although the marrow belongs to the squash/pumpkin family it has a higher water content which contributes towards its lack of flavour. It is still a popular vegetable and is widely grown on allotments but it is gradually losing favour to the more versatile pumpkins and squashes. Marrow plants can be bushy or trailing in habit. The bush types are more suitable where space is tight the trailing marrows will run all over the place this is why they are usually grown on the top of compost heaps.

Varieties to choose (sold by Kings Seeds): -

• Bush Baby – produces compact dark green fruits with a pale green stripe, ideal for growing in smaller gardens/plots
• Custard White – creamy white flat fruits with a scalloped edge. Bush habit. Keeps for a long time.
• Green Trailing – produces large dark green fruits with a paler green stripe. Trailing habits, needs lots of room.

How to grow

Sow

Marrows are grown from seed. Sow the seeds in gentle heat in3ins/9cm pots filled with fresh seed compost during April – May. The seed is large and must be planted on its edge to prevent it rotting off in the damp compost. Push the seed pointed end downwards into the compost and tap the pot on the bench to settle the loose compost around the seed. Cover the pot with a sheet of glass or plastic and shade using a sheet of newspaper until the seed germinates in about 10 days. The seed can be sown in the open ground during May but it is not worth the risk.

Growing on

When the seedlings begin to produce their first true leaves they can be potted on into 6in/15cm pots filled with fresh potting compost. When the roots begin to show at the bottom of the pot they are ready to transplant into the open ground. Marrows like a well dug, water holding soil containing plenty of organic matter. Create a shallow raised conical mound by digging a” moat” and throwing the soil up to create the mound. Plant the marrow at the centre of the mound and water it in well never letting it go short of water. As the marrow plant grows it will produce a mass of white roots on the surface of the soil. Cover these with potting compost, garden compost or well-rotted manure. Keep covering the roots as they appear gradually over the course of the summer the moat will disappear and the mound will spread outwards.

Aftercare

The plants must be kept well watered at every stage of their growth. If the roots are allowed to dry out it will lead to an attack by mildew and the plants will be ruined. Feed the plants once a week with liquid seaweed to encourage plenty of strong healthy growth. The trailing plants will not need to be pinched out unless they threaten to overrun the allotment. Hoe regularly between the plants to keep the weeds under control.

How to Harvest

Cut the marrows during the summer when they are about 6ins/15cms long to encourage further flower and fruit production. Towards the end of the summer you can allow a few prize winners to swell before putting them in to store for winter use. Marrows are not frost hardy and they must be harvested and ripened before putting into store for the mid-winter. They will need to be checked regularly to see if any are rotting.

Issues

White fly and aphids are the two main problems. Spray the plants regularly with an insecticidal soap to control them. Red spider mite can become a pest if the plants are allowed to dry out at the roots water overhead as well to provide some humidity.

Slugs and snails are a problem to young plants.

Neck rot can be a problem if the main growing stalk is damaged it will become soft and mushy and the plant will eventually collapse and die.

Cucumber mosaic virus is transmitted by aphids once a plant is infected it will have to be dug up and destroyed.