Zucchini Easy Pick Green F1 - Cucurbita pepo

The 'Easy Pick Green'® F1 courgette is a particularly easy-to-harvest hybrid variety. Thanks to its spineless stalks and its open and airy habit, it is easy to access its beautiful, long, smooth, slender, and dark green courgettes, which are of very good quality. The courgette is an easy-to-grow vegetable plant that allows for abundant harvesting. In cooking, it is often used cooked: sautéed, fried, gratin, soup, or stuffed, and of course, it is part of the ingredients of ratatouille. The courgette can also be consumed raw, grated and mixed with other raw vegetables. The young plants of 'Easy Pick Green' F1 courgette can be planted from April to July, after the last frost, for a harvest from July to October.

The courgette (Cucurbita pepo) is a summer squash belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, like other squashes (pumpkin, patidou, butternut, acorn squash, pattypan, kabocha squash...). They are all native to America and were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. Easily hybridizing, squashes show a great diversity of colors (orange, green, red, yellow, black, or even blue), sizes, and shapes.

The courgette is an annual plant with an upright habit, offering beautiful yellow flowers from May to October. It is harvested immature, that is, before its complete development. The majority of varieties are non-vining, but there are a few vining varieties that spread on the ground and will require pruning. Courgettes can be round or long, usually green, but sometimes yellow or white.

In cooking, courgettes are often consumed cooked: sautéed, fried, gratin, soups, or stuffed, and are of course part of the ingredients of ratatouille. Courgettes can also be consumed raw, grated and mixed with other raw vegetables.

These are fruit vegetables that need regular watering to give their best. They love heat and sun and appreciate sheltered places.

Harvesting: It takes place from July to October, by cutting the fruits with pruning shears. Harvest young and tender courgettes, without letting them grow too big (on average every 2 days during peak season). Regular harvesting will promote the development of new fruits. You can also pick the male flowers (preferably in the morning) which can be eaten in fritters or stuffed. Male flowers, which will not produce fruits, appear on thin, long, non-swollen stems.

Storage: Courgettes can be stored for a few days at room temperature or in the lower part of the refrigerator, and for several months when cut into pieces and frozen.

Gardener's tip: Place a slate slab or a tile under the fruit. It will no longer be in direct contact with the ground, thus avoiding it from rotting due to moisture.