Courgettes are an easy vegetable to grow in the garden and they’re particularly useful vegetables to grow too – there are a lot of easy courgette recipes out there! Courgettes, however, can be a very prolific vegetable and most gardeners will only need 1 or 2 plants to grow enough for their needs, as if you harvest courgettes regularly, then your plant will produce lots and lots of vegetables. We prefer growing courgettes in pots as it helps to contain them and gives you more space in the garden itself to grow lots more. Welcome to our guide on how to grow courgettes in pots, we cover how to sow courgettes, planting our courgettes, when to pick courgettes and the best courgette varieties for the UK.
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Why Grow Courgettes in Pots
Courgettes are particularly easy to grow from seed and while they’re best started indoors, you can plant them in pots in the garden or directly into the soil. It’s also possible to sow them outdoors directly where you want them to grow.
We like growing courgettes in containers as it makes it easier to control the area that the plant can cover. Courgette plants tend to trail along the ground and take over a lot of space (not as quickly as mint does, but it still can be a big area!) All the courgette plants that we have grown have been prolific producers, and we’ve never had to worry about not having enough courgettes at all. So much so that we’ve experimented with many courgette recipes over the years.
How to Sow Courgette Seeds
Sow your courgette seeds either inside (from March) or directly into compost or soil in April, May and June. You can always find the details on when to plant out courgettes on the packet of courgette seeds that you buy. Don’t forget that these guidelines for when to plant courgettes will always depend on the weather that season, so if you’re looking for when to plant courgettes outdoors, please do take into account annual differences. If it is particularly cold or wet, then leave it a little longer, or start indoors. We find it quicker to get them going by sowing courgettes indoors in a small pot with vegetable compost.
- Sow courgette seeds individually, about 1.5 centimetres deep in 7-centimetre pots.
- Water gently and leave on a warm sunny windowsill.
- You can also sow courgettes directly into larger pots and leave them in a greenhouse, but you’ll likely need to protect them against frost.
- If you want to sow courgettes directly outside then you can do so late May to early June, you’ll need to cover them with insulation or a cloche until the seeds germinate, and be aware that it may only be your strongest seedlings that survive.
- Your compost needs to be kept moist, but not waterlogged while the courgette seed germinates.
Here’s the Best Courgette Seeds for the UK
We recommend buying your vegetable seeds and plants from Crocus, but you can also buy courgette seeds from Amazon.
Where to Plant Courgettes
We recommend that you plant your courgette plants in a pot! We have also had great success growing courgettes in grow bags. Plant a single courgette plant per pot, or you can get at most two in a grow bag. We recommend these grow bags for courgettes. Be aware the courgettes are thirsty plants and you will need to ensure that they get plenty of water.
While we try and use rainwater as much as possible on the garden and in pots, when that’s not possible, we use a space-saving expandable hose – check out our guide to expanding hoses here.
Transplanting Courgette Plants
You may need to transplant your courgette plant to a bigger pot for a while before you’re able to plant it outside. That’s where growing courgettes in containers wins over grow bags – you can transplant it to its forever home, yet keep it inside if the weather is a little cold. If it’s going to be cold and wet and windy, keep your plants inside until the weather improves. When you do transplant your courgette to its final home, you’ll want to make sure that it’s a 25-centimetre diameter pot per plant – or as we’ve said a grow bag per two plants.
How to Grow Courgette in a Greenhouse
You can grow courgettes “under glass” if you have a large enough greenhouse and they will thrive in this environment. If you’re growing courgettes in a greenhouse you will need to ensure that you keep them well watered.
Courgette plant spacing dictates that you’ll need a reasonably large greenhouse. We don’t have the space for a large greenhouse in our yard, so have always used mini-greenhouses. (Find our guide to mini greenhouses here!)
Courgette Plant Care
Growing courgettes from seed is relatively simple and there’s very little involved in the care of courgettes while they are growing. So here are the basics of how to look after courgette plants.
Watering Requirements for Courgettes
You’ll notice when you cook with Courgettes that there is a lot of water in their fruits and Courgettes like and need a lot of water. Try to NOT get water on the leaves – water into the compost or soil. If you’re looking for compost, then here are our recommendations on compost.
Feed Requirements for Courgettes
Once you start to see your first fruits you’ll want to start feeding your courgette every 10 days to 2 weeks. Here’s a good plant food for courgettes.
The Best Location for Growing Courgettes
Try and select a sunny spot that is sheltered from the wind – courgettes aren’t that hardy for your pots of courgette plants. Using pots to grow courgettes will help you appreciate just how much space they take up. If you grow courgettes directly into the garden you’ll see their leaves taking up so much space. At least with a pot, you can move them around! If you’ve decided to grow directly into the ground, then you’ll want at least ONE METRE between plants.
Pests and Disease to look out for when growing Courgettes
When your courgette plants are young you might need to look out for slugs as they like young courgette leaves – growing courgettes in pots helps this as there’s more you can do to protect your courgette plants than if they were in the ground.
Protect your courgettes from slugs by
- Sprinkling a circle of salt around the pot if the weather is dry
- Sprinkle an organic slug pellet around the courgette plant
- Use a beer trap to protect your courgette plant.
However, the most common issue that you’ll have when growing courgettes (and we’ve never had this, but I see it in a lot of places) is mildew. Courgettes will be affected by mildew if there is poor airflow and their roots are dry. Maintain your watering schedule and ensure that your courgette plant is in a location where there is decent airflow.
The Best Varieties of Courgette to Grow
I don’t think there are any BAD varieties of courgettes, but here are the ones that we recommend you to grow in pots.
- Ambassador Courgette Seeds– easy to grow, can be grown as courgettes or marrows Courgette Ambassador from Amazon
- El Greco AGM Courgette Seeds: This variety of courgette grows in an open fashion making it easy to pick – and the harvests tend to be prolific. – buy El Greco Courgette Seeds here
- Black Beauty Courgette Seeds- Vigorous and productive producing dark green coloured long fruits over a long season. Glossy skins and a fine texture. Ideal for beginners and children. > buy Black Beauty Courgette seeds now from Amazon
- Supremo Courgette Seeds AGM: – this is a great option for varieties of courgettes to grow in pots as it is a good one of the compact courgette varieties. Unfortunately we can’t currently find a source for Courgette Supremo Seeds.
- Courgette Venus AGM – another courgette plant this is relatively compact. Tends to have quite a long season and crops well. Sadly we can’t find a supplier for Venus Courgette Seeds either.
The Best Pots for Growing Courgettes
To effectively grow courgettes in containers you’ll want a pot that is 25-centimetre in diameter. It can be clay or plastic pot. It must have drainage holes. If you want to grow courgettes in a grow bag, then you can grow two courgette plants per grow bag.
How to Care for Courgette Plants
Ensure that your courgette plants have plenty of water – courgettes are thirsty plants. But water the soil and try and get the water to the roots to avoid the stems rotting. Feed your courgette once every 10-14 days once the fruit starts to appear.
When to Harvest Courgettes
You’ll want to harvest courgettes as soon as they get to the right size. You’ll harvest courgettes from June through October. Smaller ones tend to have more flavour. Courgettes get enormous quickly. They can grow inches overnight. By harvesting your courgettes you’ll encourage the plant to grow more. Leaving courgettes on the plant to become marrows means that the energy will go into growing the marrow and not into growing additional courgettes.
How to Harvest Courgettes
When it comes to how to pick courgettes, it’s pretty easy.
- Select courgettes that are 10-12 centimetres long.
- Cut the courgette at the base with a sharp knife – try not to damage the plant.
- Keep harvesting regularly and you’ll keep the plant producing.
Courgette stalks can be a little spiky. Take care with your hands and arms when harvesting – or use a good pair of protective gardening gloves.
You can also eat courgette flowers, they’re great on a salad and you can also cook with them. Courgettes have two types of flowers, the flower that has the young vegetable attached to it (this is the female flower) and the much more attractive flower on a long stalk which is the male. Courgette flowers will keep for 2-3 days if you seal them in a plastic bag and keep them in the fridge.
Got a glut of courgettes? Why not dehydrate them? Courgettes are a great vegetable to dehydrate. Courgette chips and crisps are a fabulous way to preserve your courgettes for longer – read our Food Dehydrators guide here!
You can also freeze courgettes – although you need to take some steps to protect them – here’s my guide to freezing courgettes.
Tips for Maximising your Courgette Harvest
The best way to increase your courgette harvest is to harvest regularly. Harvest when the courgettes are 10-12 centimetres. This might not seem particularly big, but believe me, there will be another one along in a few days. Regular harvesting of courgette plants means that you’ll encourage the growth of additional fruits.
FAQs on How to Grow Courgettes
Got questions about the best way to grow courgettes? Or want to know about courgette care and we haven’t answered your questions? Check out our frequently asked questions about growing courgettes below, or ask us yours in the comments.
How long do courgettes take to grow?
If you’re growing courgettes from seed (you can also usually pick up a courgette plant at plant stalls), then you should be harvesting courgettes should be ready to pick within about 8 weeks of sowing the courgette seeds.
Can you grow courgettes in pots
Yes. You can grow courgettes in pots, you can grow courgettes in containers, you can grow courgettes in grow bags too!
How many courgettes per plant?
Once your courgette plant has reached maturity, then you’ll be able to pick four to five small courgettes a week from each plant. Harvest regularly and this will promote the growth of further fruits. If you leave some courgette fruits on the plant they will grow to become marrows.
Do courgettes grow back every year?
No. Courgettes are what’s known as an “annual”. Their lifecycle lasts a single season. You will need to plant a new plant next season. For details on biennial (a two-year lifespan) or perennial (three years or more), vegetables read our guide to them here.
What is a good companion plant for courgettes?
If you’re looking for what to plant with courgettes, then we’d recommend beans, squashes, dill, rosemary, garlic or mint.
Can you buy young courgette plants?
Yes, if you don’t want to grow courgettes from seed, you can buy young courgette plants. The best place to buy courgette plants is from a garden centre in May or June.
Can you grow courgettes in a greenhouse?
Yes. Courgettes will grow well in a greenhouse, you will need to ensure that you water the plants well.
How much space do courgette plants need?
Courgettes take up a lot of space. We recommend planting them around 90 centimetres apart if you’re planting directly into the ground. You can grow two courgette plants in a grow bag, or one or two in a pot depending on the size of the pot. Some courgette varieties are best for growing in containers.
When do you plant courgettes?
You can sow courgette seeds in May and June, they may need to be undercover for the first few weeks. Plants will also be available in garden centres during this time.
What does a courgette plant look like?
Here’s what a courgette plant looks like
How far apart should I plant courgettes?
Courgettes should be planted about 90 centimetres apart if you’re planting into the ground.
What is the best courgette variety?
We recommend the Ambassador courgette variety as the best courgette for containers. It is easy to grow as either courgettes or marrows and you can get these. Ambassador courgette seeds here from Amazon
Do courgettes grow into marrows?
Yes. A marrow is a courgette that has been left on the plant to grow for a while longer.
Can I grow oregano near courgettes?
Yes. Oregano is a great companion plant for courgettes – there’s more on oregano companion plants here.
Our favourite courgette recipes
Here are some of our favourite recipes that we specifically grow courgettes for
- Savoury Courgette Bread
- Creamy Courgette Soup
- Zesty Lemon & Courgette Pasta
- Fresh Courgette, Mint & Feta Quiche
Let’s Grow Cook Recommends..
Whether you’re buying seeds, seedlings, plants, propagation gear, gardening tools or items for the kitchen, here are our favourite suppliers.
Best for Seeds & Plants
- Suttons: – OFFERS on Seeds, Sets, Plants and Gardening Tools
- Crocus’s – seeds, plants, seedlings and help with propagation
- Amazon – seeds, plants, and growing kits – check options here
Best for Pots, Containers, Gardening Tools & Compost
- Garden Growing Accessories – The latest offers from Suttons
- Crocus – the UK’s largest garden supplier – Crocus – has great deals on pots, containers, tools & compost.
- Amazon – a superb selection of pots, containers, tools & compost – order here
- Waltons – the UK’s best sheds and garden buildings – options here
Best Tools & Gadgets for the Kitchen & Cooking Aids
- Rediscover the simple pleasures of home cooking with SimplyCook – Try your first box for free (just pay £1 postage) – get offer here
What other fruit and vegetables can I grow in pots?
Try these other guides to growing in pots and containers
- Grow peas in pots
- Grow carrots in pots
- Grow rhubarb in pots
- Grow spinach in pots
- Grow courgettes in pots
- Growing onions in pots
- How to grow Asparagus in pots
- How to grow Beetroot in pots
- How to grow Coriander in pots
- How to grow Basil in pots
Final Words on Growing Courgettes in Pots
Our first season with courgettes was an unmitigated success. Being new to edible gardening we had no idea what our failure rate would be and planted lots. And lots. To say we ate little else that year apart from courgettes would be forgetting the huge tomato harvest we had as well. Since then our courgette growing impulses have calmed down somewhat and we grow courgettes in pots to control the space that they use and also our over-planting tendencies!
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7 thoughts on “Growing Courgettes in Pots [Tips for A Productive Harvest]”
Can you grow a courgette to trail upwards?
Hi Pauline – absolutely. Growing courgettes vertically is a great way to grow them. Courgettes tend to sprawl so growing them and training them upwards is a good way to manage space. You’ll want to train them on bamboo canes and be sure to support them well, as the fruits can get heavy very heavy and you’ll want to make sure the vines don’t break.
Is there a certain way to transplant courgettes into bigger pots without damaging them?
Hallo there – it depends on how big the plant is when you’re transplanting it. If its a seedling – just leaves, no flowers and no fruits, then simply grasp the stem gently squeeze the pot (if its plastic) and ease out. Plant to the same depth in the new pot, so the roots have room to reach down and out. If you have fruits and flowers, then I don’t think you can move it without damaging – there’s too much to hold onto. However, if you know that you’re going to transplant it for the future, I would line the first pot with hessian or something similar, and then – with assistance – someone to hold the fruits/flowers – lift the hessian out and lie flat in the new pot and infill with compost. I haven’t tried it, and can’t promise that the plant won’t shock and die, but if its pot bound then its worth a shot. If however, your plant is fruiting and flowering, its probbly happy and I’d leave it there. Hope that helps and let me know how you get on!
I have two plants in a large pot, the flowers drop off regularly. I don’t overwater, and the pot has drainage holes. Having read the comments above I have moved the pot to a place where there is better air circulation and will now water direct to the compost. Anything else I can do?
Hi Robert. It is normal to get flower fall off courgettes. There are two types of flowers on a courgette plant – male and female. The male flowers have a long thin stem. If you have flowers with a swollen base, then these are the female flowers, and this swollen base is what develops into the courgette, after it has been germinated. A male flower falling off isn’t much to worry about, they usually fall off when they’ve done their bit (i.e. help towards pollinating the female flower). The female flower falling off indicates that the flower hasn’t been germinated, which could be because of too much water, high humidity or a lack of bees or butterflies for the pollination. You’re doing all the right things. The flower fall is because the plant understands that pollination is going to happen and its going to try again when conditions are better. The only other thing that you can do is encourage bees and butterflies into the garden area. Let me know how it goes!
Thankyou!!
I am new to Gardening as I am petrified of worms! (I know!!!)
I now have a balcony and would love to grow eating plants (I think you called them that!) And herbs.
You have made this sound easy and I’m excited to try!
However I have a wait as its January!!