Zucchini Tondo di Toscana - Cucurbita pepo

The Tondo di Toscana Courgette is an Italian variety that produces pale green round fruits. They can be consumed both in their juvenile stage, in salads, and when mature, stuffed with meat or cheese. They are sown under cover from April to May or directly in the ground from late May to late June for a harvest from July to October.

Orange, green, red, yellow, black or even blue, smooth, ribbed, warty, with tender skin... Squashes and courgettes offer a surprising variety of shapes, colors, and sizes as they hybridize with disconcerting ease. That's why there are so many varieties.

In common language, winter squashes refer to all kinds of pumpkins, potimarrons, and squash with tough skin and delicately sweet flesh. Summer squashes or courgettes (in Latin, Cucurbita pepo) refer to the different varieties that are harvested when the skin is still tender. The latter are consumed with the seeds, when they are still tender.

They are all native to America and belong to the large cucurbit family. They were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. Generally trailing, they cling to any support with the help of their tendrils. Female flowers can be distinguished from male flowers by their inferior ovary (under the flower), resembling an embryo of a fruit. In many regions, male flowers are harvested just after pollination to be consumed stuffed or in fritters.

In the kitchen, courgettes can be prepared in multiple ways: sautéed, fried, in gratins, soups, or stuffed. They are essential ingredients in Provençal ratatouille, Maghrebi couscous, and many emblematic Mediterranean dishes. They are low in calories but rich in vitamins, especially provitamin A, vitamin B, and minerals.

Courgettes are fruiting vegetables that need regular watering to give their best. They love heat and sunshine and should not be planted in the garden before early June.

Harvest: Courgettes are harvested when they are young and fresh.

Storage: They can be stored for a few days at room temperature or in the bottom of the refrigerator, and several months if cut into pieces and frozen.

Handy gardening tip: Don't forget the flowers! Although the vegetable garden is primarily intended for producing quality vegetables, it is always interesting to plant flowers. First and foremost, for the aesthetic pleasure they provide, but also to repel pests and attract valuable pollinators. So, don't hesitate to plant, in the middle of the rows or along the edge of the bed, Gaillardias, Marigolds, Zinnias, Cosmos, Nasturtiums, or even beautiful herbs such as Dill. However, be cautious of certain plants, even though they are useful, such as Borage, which tends to self-seed abundantly in dedicated growing spaces.