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A nutritious and widely cultivated vegetable, zucchini is a staple. This cucurbit family vegetable is full of minerals. Originating in Italy, courgettes are now grown all over the world.
Courgettes are easy to grow. They grow in fertile, wind-protected soil. Courgette seeds are sown in early summer. As they are heat-loving vegetables, courgette seeds should be sown in a sunny location with constant sunlight.
Both the fruit and the courgette seeds can be used in a variety of dishes, canned or eaten just picked. Zucchini and its condiments are very low in calories and are a favourite with health-conscious and overweight people.
When growing courgettes, it is recommended to grow legumes, onions, tomatoes, early cabbage, potatoes, leeks. The crop rotation not only determines yield and fruit quality, but also the control of weeds, pests and their spread, and the absorption of nutrients in the soil. It is important that the courgette beds are covered with mulch. The most suitable root cover for courgettes is 7 cm. Mulch can consist of straw, grass, garden waste and composted husks, which feed and activate micro-organisms.