Cucurbita pepo Marrows

Planting position: Full sun. Ideal for frost-free regions with long, warm seasons. Spacing of 1m between and around plants.
Requires regular watering (less during germination period). Well-draining, compost-enriched loamy soil and layers of grass clippings mulching. Added 2:3:2 to preparing beds, at a rate of 65g.m ² and apply 3:1:5 during flowering period. Apply snail- and slug bait to protect seedlings and young plants. Cut back some foliage if there is an over-producing of leaves.
Propagate from seed, pre-dusted with a proprietary brand of fungicide.
Harvesting is done from 2 months after sowing when fruit is 15cm long.
Pests, diseases and their cures: Downy mildew - spray weekly with mancozeb. Powdery mildew - spray with benomyl. Red spider mite - spray with dicofol. White fly - spray with carbaryl.

The marrow, or summer squash, is available in tones of green, yellow, white or cream. The oblong fruit are eaten mostly when boiled or baked, and raw in salads.