Courgettes

This method can be used for courgettes, squashes, vegetable marrows pumpkins etc. Around the same time I sow my courgette seeds indoors, I like to prepare the growing site so it has time to settle before planting out in a few weeks time. Courgettes can also be grown in large pots in a rich mixture of, ideally, compost and well rotted manure.

If you are growing in the open ground rather than pots, then measure and mark out the plot, giving a minimum of 4'/1.2m between plants. I like to give about 6'/1.8m so I can still easily walk between plants once they are fully grown. A cane or similar is a suitable marker.

Once all of the marking out is seen to, dig out a pit, one spade graft deep and 2-3'/60-90cm wide.

 

 

 

Into the pit can be put very well rotted manure or home made compost or leaf-mould. If using the latter, give one handful of pelleted poultry manure per pit as well. 

 

The soil can then be put back, trod down and raked out to form a 'well' as shown. This can make watering easier later on in the season. This is optional and  can always be formed later in the season if required.

How I prefer to leave the pit - flat and raked out.

All pits completed. If you have single cloches or similar, you can put these over the prepared pits to allow an earlier planting out. The markers will stay in place until planting up takes place.