Courgettes are a summer recipe staple, finding their way into everything from pastas to savoury tarts. Now imagine that you could have an endless supply of this sophisticated vegetable all summer long. And by learning how to grow courgettes in pots this can become your reality this summer.
In fact, courgettes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow even if you’re a beginner. And opting to grow them in pots rather than in the ground makes for the perfect way how to grow vegetables in a small garden if you don’t have much space in your outdoor area.
So if you want to give growing your own courgettes a go, then this is what you’ll need to invest in and what you need to do so that your courgette plant is a success.
How to grow courgettes in pots
Similarly to growing blueberries in pots, you can also grow courgettes in planters, whether you’re looking to start them in pots and then move them to the ground or keep them in planters permanently. As this way of growing is not reserved to fruit or smaller plants like chilli.
‘Courgettes are actually plants that are very easy to grow and give a lot of produce,’ says Petar Ivanov, Fantastic Gardeners' gardening expert. ‘Also, keep in mind that because they are very abundant, they’ll take a lot of space and you’ll actually only need around 2 or 3 plants to feed your family.’
But first, you’ll need to get some supplies to get courgette growing.
What you’ll need
- Courgette seeds like these 'Black Beauty' seeds at Amazon
- A plant pot like this one at Amazon
- Peat-free multipurpose compost like this one at Amazon
- Vermiculite like this one at Amazon
- Mulch like this one at Amazon
Courgette growing guide
Similarly to growing chilli plants in pots, the best way is to grow them from seeds. ‘You can generally buy courgette seedlings from any garden centre but that’s not really necessary as they’re very easy to grow from seeds,’ Petar says.
Courgettes like warmth. But if you’re starting to grow your courgettes in pots indoors, then you can do so in April or May.
‘Use a peat-free, multi-purpose compost that has been kept warm,’ Petar advises. ‘I’d also recommend covering the seeds with more warm compost or vermiculite to help stop the young seedlings from rotting during the colder temperatures at night.’
And if you want to move them or replant them outdoors, you can do so once the risk of frost is no longer an issue in late May or early June.
FAQs
Do courgettes need watering every day?
As previously mentioned, courgettes are very easy to grow. But watering them is the one thing you’ll need to keep on top of as they require a lot of water.
‘Yes, courgettes will need a lot of regular watering and they’ll thrive best when their soil is consistently damp. I’d also recommend mulching the soil surrounding them for better water retention,’ Petar says.
Do courgettes need to climb?
‘Most courgettes will just trail along the ground. However, there are still some varieties that can climb and are suitable if you’re limited on space and need to expand your garden vertically. For example, Black Forest and Tromboncino are courgette varieties that are easy to train to climb if you tie them up regularly as they’re growing,’ Petar recommends.
And come July, you should have your first courgette harvest. How exciting is that?!
