Courgette, Tondo di Chiaro di Nizza - 12 Vegetable Seeds

Tondo di Chiaro di Nizza Also known as De Nice is a delightful, round shaped Courgette. The plants are very productive and the pale green fruits should be cut when they are about four inches in diameter - cricket-ball sized. They have an excellent flavour that's ideal for stuffing.

Why not try frying sausage meat, onion, garlic, basil and tomatoes together and stuffing the mix into hollowed out courgettes, topping with Gruyere cheese and baking until tender.

Sowing:

• Sow: March - June Sow on edge at 18-21C in warm soil in large cells or small pots and transplant 5' (1.5m) apart after last frost. Can be sown up to early June. Early sowings (March-April) should be made under glass and seedlings potted on into good sized pots (1 to 2 litre depending on how long they need to be kept potted) as they should not be planted outside until all danger of frost is over.

• Prepare the soil in early spring by adding plenty of well rotted farmyard manure to improve its structure and fertility.

• Indoors, sow seed at a depth of 2cm (¾") in 7.5cm (3") pots of free-draining, seed sowing compost. Place in a propagator or seal container inside a plastic bag at a temperature of 20-25C (68-77F) until germination which takes 5-7 days. Do not exclude light, as this helps germination.

• Once germinated, grow courgettes on in cooler conditions until all risk of frost has passed and courgette plants are large enough to be transplanted.

• Gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over 7 - 10 days before planting courgettes outdoors in rich fertile, well drained soil in full sun at a distance of 90cm (36") apart. Cover with a protective netting or fleece to prevent attack from birds and insects. When growing courgettes, a thick mulch of organic matter spread around the plants will help to conserve moisture at the roots.

• Alternatively direct sow courgettes outdoors at a depth of 2cm (¾") and a distance of 90cm (36") apart. Sow 2 seeds per hole and thin out the weakest seedling per station after germination.

An easy to grow and low maintenance plant that will give confidence to the first time gardener as it produces bucket loads of veg.

Plant out in mid - late May when the chance of frost has passed. Incorporate plenty of organic matter to feed the plant and help retain water.

As they are hungry feeders, feed them every 14 days with a potash rich fertilizer. Keep well watered but do not wet the fruit.

Harvest:

July to October. Pick fruit regularly to prolong cropping. The flowers can be picked before this

Suitable for the garden, allotments and containers.

Be prepared to water well and supplement feed with high-potash feed during season. Regular feeding is recommended.