Cocozelle Zucchini Squash Seeds

This old-time Italian heirloom was introduced to North America in 1885 through the Burpee seed catalogue and quickly gained popularity amongst gardeners and within just a few years, it was listed in many more seed catalogues. Also known as Italian Marrow Squash, Cocozelle zucchini produces longer fruits than regular zucchini. The zucchinis grow straight when young and may start to curve when they get longer. The fruits are glossy green-black with lighter green stripes and a firm pale white flesh.

Cocozelle zucchini is considered to be one of the best tasting summer squash for its outstanding flavour and texture. The fruits taste best when picked shorter than 12 inches, ideally when 7-10 inches long, but in Italy, they love to eat them when only 1-2 inches long. This old Italian heirloom is an easy-to-grow variety that is suitable for smaller gardens and containers. The blossoms are edible and are delicious stuffed with ricotta and herbs, dipped in batter and deep-fried. This summer squash has a longer shelf life than most other varieties and is also a good candidate for freezing and canning.

- Latin Name: Curcubita pepo
- Life Cycle: Annual
- Days to Maturity: 50-60
- Planting Depth: 1-2 cm
- Plant Spacing: 90-120 cm
- Row Spacing: 1-1.5 m
- Growth Habit: 30-60 cm tall

GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

An abundance of delicious zucchini can be produced with little effort and space required. A summer staple, zucchini are nutritious and have a surprising number of uses in the kitchen. Zucchini will thrive situated in a sunny space with rich fertile soil. Direct sowing and starting seeds indoors are both possibilities to acquire a good crop.

When planting outdoors, wait until the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed quite a bit. Plant seeds directly into the bed at a depth of 2 cm, at least 60 cm apart. Rows should be spaced 90-120 cm apart.

Start seeds indoors in pots, about four weeks before the last frost. If kept warm, moist and well lit, squash seeds will germinate and grow at a rapid rate. It may be necessary to transplant seedlings into larger pots if their smaller containers are outgrown. After the danger of frost has passed, carefully harden off young plants. Give them shelter early on and slowly acclimate them to the sun. Plant and treat the roots gently, zucchini can be finicky when transplanting.

Water well to encourage growth and prolific flowering and fruiting. Mulch around the plants to conserve water and keep down weeds. Give the zucchini a balanced fertilizer when it starts blooming.

Pollination is crucial for zucchini plants, male flowers must fertilize the female flowers in order to produce fruit. Attract bees and other pollinators by planting zucchini among other flowering plants.

About a week after the first sign of flowers, search the plants well. Zucchini can grow to monster sizes within days without being detected. Use a knife to cut the stems and be cautious not to tear or damage the plant.

Process or eat them quickly, they spoil as quickly as they grow! Delicious breads, relish, pickles, casseroles, soup, and even pasta come to mind when hauling large loads of fresh zucchini to the kitchen.

QUICK FACTS

- There is a type of wild squash that grows wild in some parts of Africa, but it is the wild varieties from the Americas that were first domesticated over 8,000 years ago, predating the domestication of other crops such as corn and beans by about 4,000 years. Squash seeds were eventually brought to Europe in the 1500s.

- There are two main types of squash: ''summer'' and ''winter.'' Summer squash is harvested in the warm weather months and doesn't store for long. Winter squash is usually harvested in the fall and has hard skin which allows it to keep well for months.

- Zucchini seeds will remain viable for 4 years if stored in a cool, dark place, ideally between 4 and 10⁰C. After that, the germination rate may start to go down.