Courgette recommendations

[happyhumph]

I'm on black beauty for green ones this year and very pleased with it - productive, good flavour and form. Have grown zephyr before and enjoyed that as well. I like a mix so have summer crookneck as well, and trombo for fun!

[Marmande]

Another vote here for Tondo di Nizza/Ronde de Nice! Have also had good results with Astia (big-standard green variety from Wilko) and Gold Rush (yellow courgette).

[annie8]

Ooh lots of great suggestions thanks. Will have a look at them.

[JK557]

I've grown Black Forest, which can be grown vertically, and Midnight this year. The BF have been far more prolific that Midnight. I grew them in a halo with a tripod and, because my soil is not very good, put a small single sized growbag with its bottom cut out onto the earth. I will be sticking to the BF next year.

[unclefudgly]

I stick to two Italian varieties which tend to be a lot firmer and better for cooking, at least in our house.

Striato d'italia & Cocozelle

[SalfordWhite]

Some good recommendations.
I like the Trieste white coursa and love growing Patisson blanc as it looks stunning.

[Penellype]

I don't much care for the yellow ones, and usually grow green bush (Suttons). However in 2016 I couldn't find Suttons so I bought Mr Fothergill's and they were horrible, small dark green things with a bitter flavour. I threw the rest of the seed away and bought some more from Suttons for last year, which were fine. However, only one of these germinated this year, and it is growing the most peculiar dark green curly courgettes that are not at all like what I am used to. They are hard, with tough skins.

When I had trouble with germination I bought another packet of Green Bush, these from Unwins. These were described as marrows rather than courgettes. They are totally different, a pale bluey green with stripey bits on. Unsurprisingly they are growing huge. Even when small they have tougher skins than I like, and seem to take ages to soften when cooked, so I'm really not keen on them. At my friend's I am growing the last yellow courgette from the packet (Goldmine), and I also had the last of the Piccolo, which is a round variety, but that plant was eaten off by slugs and died.

All in all, not a success this year. I really only grow courgettes to make soup and a little courgette and tomato to go with salad or pasta, so I am not overly bothered, but next year I will try a different variety. Black Beauty seems to get good reviews on here so I may try that one.

[chillithyme]

Rugosa Friuliana is my favourite, the taste is delicious when cooked.
It's yellow and nobbly so can be a bit difficult getting the dirt out if in the ground, i give it a scrub and peel and bbq, or grill or cook in some olive oil. The plants are massive, and even more productive than defender, which normally produces loads.

[SarrissUK]

Oooh they look interesting Chillithyme! I might have to get me some of them!

[TrixC]

I usually go for the Italian varieties, particularly Romanesco which is unbelievably prolific, even by courgette standards! Atena Polka is a very good yellow variety, easily the best I’ve tried, Battani is a very good dark green one and quite compact too.

[chillithyme]

Oooh they look interesting Chillithyme! I might have to get me some of them!

I got the seeds by franchi in Wyevale,it’s the yellow one in the middle

[SarrissUK]

Wow! The trombas have raised a few eyebrows when I've been bringing them in for colleagues... Imagine their faces if I brought something like this in!

[chillithyme]

Yes it certainly is different it's amazing how many different types of courgettes there are across the globe, I only knew about the green ones until I started growing myself.

[unclefudgly]

Rugosa Friuliana is my favourite, the taste is delicious when cooked.
It's yellow and nobbly so can be a bit difficult getting the dirt out if in the ground, i give it a scrub and peel and bbq, or grill or cook in some olive oil. The plants are massive, and even more productive than defender, which normally produces loads.

I love these too, perfect for roasting, bought them from the Franchi range of seeds. Americans call these crookneck squash I think, and I agree they are more like squash than courgettes.