kids grow courgettes
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kids grow courgettes

Growing courgettes with kids

Also known as 'zucchini', courgettes are incredibly easy to grow. Small, bushy varieties are best for growing in containers, and one plant can produce a lot of veg to harvest.

What you'll need:

  • • Courgette seeds
  • • Small pots (e.g. yoghurt pots)
  • • 10-litre containers (bucket-sized)
  • • Multipurpose compost
  • • Liquid tomato plant feed

Step 1: Start your courgettes indoors

courgette seedlings started indoorsStart them on your windowsill
Image: Natakim / shutterstock
  • • Make some drainage holes in your yoghurt pots and fill with compost.
  • • Push your finger into the soil to make a little hole.
  • • Plant each seed on its edge (not flat) 1cm deep, and sprinkle soil over the top.
  • • Keep the soil moist and cover with cling film until the seed germinates.

Step 2: Plant them in containers

young courgette plants in a containerRe-pot into containers
Image: Eag1Eyes / shutterstock
  • • Once your plants are big enough to handle, they can move into the large containers.
  • • Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom, and fill them with compost.
  • • Keep the soil moist.
  • • If you move your seedlings into big containers when there's no more chance of frost, they can stay outdoors.

Step 2: Care for your courgettes

yellow courgette flowers and vegetablesReady to pick!
Image: romiri / shutterstock
  • • Keep your courgettes in a sunny spot and water them every day.
  • • Once they start flowering, add a little liquid tomato plant feed to the water once a week.
  • • Bees and butterflies will pollinate the flowers so that they produce fruit.
  • • Courgettes are best at around 10cm. Pick them before they get too big!

Popular courgette varieties

There's plenty more information in the downloadable guide. Print it out for more detailed instructions and even more courgette facts! Head over to our courgette hub for more detailed growing advice and recipe ideas that are a little outside the box - perfect for encouraging kids to eat their greens in new and exciting ways!

  Click the image to download the full pdf guide  
 
growing courgettes with kids pdf
 

Banner image: Ana Iacob Photography/ Shutterstock

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