Fothergill's Courgette Midnight F1 Seeds

Details:

• Botanical Name: Cucurbita pepo, an elite, highly refined hybrid selection within the Courgette genus.
• Plant Class: Half Hardy Annual, establishing rapidly from a spring sowing to deliver heavy, kitchen-ready rewards within the exact same season.
• Ultra-Compact Patio Expert: Naturally forms a perfectly balanced, neat, and non-trailing bush framework, reaching a highly controlled mature height of 60cm (24in) and an equal spread of 60cm (24in). It is widely considered one of the finest choices available for large patio pots, balconies, and small urban courtyards.
• Pain-Free Harvesting: Specifically bred to feature very few sharp prickles or spines, allowing you to reach into the heart of the bushy foliage for quick, scratch-free picking.
• Glossy Dark Green Fruits: Yields beautifully straight, uniform, and smooth-skinned fruits with a striking dark green finish, firm succulent flesh, and a rich, sweet, homegrown flavor.
• Highly Productive & Efficient: Maximizes every inch of space; despite its small plant footprint, it matches the productivity of much larger varieties, yielding heavy, consistent crops from early summer right through to autumn.
• Pollinator Friendly: Features large, vibrant yellow, nectar-rich blossoms that act as an excellent natural fuel source for bumblebees and honeybees, ensuring superb fruit set.

Care Instructions:

• Sowing Position: Start seeds early indoors from April to May by sowing individual seeds on their edges 2cm deep in pots of moist compost. Alternatively, sow directly outdoors in late May or June into rich, warm soil once all danger of frost has fully passed. Position in a warm, sunny, and sheltered location.
• Pot & Border Cultivation: If growing in containers, select a large pot at least 35–40cm in diameter and fill it with high-quality, moisture-retentive multi-purpose compost. If planting out into garden borders or raised beds, space plants 60cm apart.
• Maintenance: Courgettes are thirsty and hungry plants. Water regularly and deeply at the base, keeping the soil or compost consistently moist but never waterlogged. Feed container-grown plants weekly with a high-potash tomato fertilizer once the first small fruits begin to form. Harvest the courgettes when they are about 10–15cm (4–6in) long to continuously stimulate fresh fruit production.