Seeds 3 Seeds (Cucurbita pepo var. round)

This round zucchini (Cucurbita pepo var. round) is the playful, globe-shaped cousin of the familiar long courgette. Instead of a slim cylinder, it forms plump little spheres with smooth skin and tender, mild flesh that scoops out beautifully, so it is prized above all as a stuffing variety: halve it, hollow it, fill it with rice or minced meat, and bake the natural cup until soft. Its delicate flavour and firm-yet-creamy texture also suit grilling, roasting and slicing into summer dishes, while the neat round form makes a charming sight in the garden itself. Like all summer squash it is best enjoyed young and tender, when the skin is still glossy and the seeds inside are barely formed.

Planting

Round zucchini is a warm-season, frost-sensitive crop, so sow only after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed; aim for a soil temperature of about 21°C at 5 cm depth, with a germination range of 18-21°C. For an earlier start you can sow indoors in pots and transplant after hardening off the young plants. Sow seed roughly 1.3-2.5 cm deep: about 1.3 cm when starting indoors and around 2.5 cm when sowing directly outdoors. In warm soil germination is quick, usually within about 5-7 days. Give it a warm, sunny, sheltered position in full sun, ideally with 8-10 hours of direct light and at least 6 hours a day. The plants are large and vigorous, so space them generously: about 90 cm apart, or in rows roughly 45-60 cm between plants with about 1.8 m between rows. Where you sow a few seeds per spot, thin to the strongest plant, leaving seedlings about 20-30 cm apart; cut the extras off with scissors rather than pulling them, to avoid disturbing the roots. If you start indoors, sow about 3 weeks before transplanting into 7.5 cm containers, then harden off before planting out. In Egypt, with little frost risk, the Nile Delta and Lower Egypt suit two main windows: a main spring crop sown February-March as the soil warms past about 15-18°C, and an autumn crop sown August-September for an October-November harvest. In the warmer south of Upper Egypt, shift earlier and sow from January-February for a harvest before the intense summer, or sow in September for a cooler-season crop; mid-summer sowing is the least favourable because heat and disease pressure are highest. Protected cultivation in a greenhouse or tunnel can extend the season into winter throughout the country.

Fertilizing

Grow round zucchini in fertile, well-drained soil and work in compost or fertilizer before planting. It prefers slightly acidic ground, around pH 6.0-6.5 (and tolerant of about 5.8-6.8). Once the plants are growing, side-dress them as the vines begin to spread and as the female flowers start to appear, using a nitrogen feed such as 46-0-0. Plants grown in containers benefit from a high-potash liquid feed every 10-14 days once the first fruits begin to swell, while plants in good garden soil generally do not need extra feeding.

Care

This is a thirsty, heavy water user. Provide about 2.5 cm of water per week from rainfall or irrigation, and keep the soil consistently moist; in hot weather plants may need watering every day, which is typical in Egypt's warmth. Drip or soaker lines are best, and keeping the foliage dry helps limit disease. Watch for the main pests: squash vine borers, squash bugs, and striped or spotted cucumber beetles, which can also spread bacterial wilt, along with slugs and snails on young plants. The chief disease is powdery mildew, with downy mildew, cucurbit viruses, anthracnose, angular leaf spot, bacterial wilt and grey mould also possible. This is a fast crop, maturing in roughly 50-65 days from transplant, so begin harvesting young and tender, before the seeds enlarge and the skin hardens. For round types pick the fruits while still small and tender. Harvest frequently, 2-3 times a week, because the fruit develops very quickly in the heat and regular picking keeps the plants productive.