Marrow
Cucurbita pepo
The marrow is the courgette grown to its full, generous size — tender when young and harvested early, but left to mature it develops into a large, striped vegetable perfect for stuffing and baking. Once a staple of the British allotment, marrows are enjoying a revival among kitchen gardeners.
SowingBoth methods
Sunlight☀️ Full sun
Water💧💧💧 High
Days to harvest60–90
Soil pH5.5–6.8
Spacing90cm × 120cm
Planting Calendar
🌏 Adjusted for southern hemisphere seasons.
Sow indoorsSow outdoorsTransplantHarvest
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Courgette vs Marrow
A marrow is simply a courgette (Cucurbita pepo) allowed to grow to full size. Any courgette variety can be grown on to produce marrows, but dedicated marrow varieties have tougher skins suited to storage. Traditional varieties include 'Long Green Trailing' and 'Badminton'.Growing On
Culture is identical to courgette. Sow on edge in individual pots in warmth, transplant after the last frost, and grow in a sunny, sheltered spot with rich, fertile soil.Pollination
For mature marrows, ensure good pollination. Hand-pollinate if necessary by transferring pollen from male flowers (thin stalk, no embryo fruit) to female flowers (with miniature marrow at the base) using a fine brush.Soil: Very rich, moisture-retentive soil. Ideally planted over a compost pit or on a mound of well-rotted manure.