Costata Romanesco: italiaanse courgette met opvallende ribben

Zo herken je Costata Romanesco

De ribben lopen over de lengte van de vrucht. De schil is grijsgroen met lichte groene spikkels. Johnny’s beschrijft dit als een traditioneel Italiaans, zaadvast ras met grote bladeren en een groeiwijze die deels rankt.

Choose the spot before you sow

Dit ras is een keuze voor een ruim bed. De Amerikaanse producent adviseert brede rijen, en vermeldt dat extra ruimte het oogsten makkelijker maakt. Leg de plant daarom niet vast in dezelfde kleine plek als een compact potras.

Mark the spot in your garden planner now. Leave a path clear too: you will need to reach the flowers and fruit stalks later. Measure the available space now rather than after planting out.

From seed to a young plant

For our outdoor summer season, usually start in April or May in an individual pot. The exact start depends on when you can safely plant out. Buy seed under the exact cultivar name and write that name on the label; this keeps different cultivars distinguishable.

Gradual hardening off and planting out

First let your plant get used to outdoor air and sunshine. Wait to plant out until the risk of night frost has passed and the bed is warm enough. Move the whole root ball carefully. A quick start comes from suitable conditions rather than putting plants outside as early as possible.

Care with attention to the roots

Check the soil regularly and water at the roots. If the soil is still wet, skip watering. Record what you do and watch how the plant responds. For the full step-by-step guide to water, soil and feeding, return to the courgette guide.

Flowers are the start of the harvest

When the first flowers appear, check whether there is a small ovary behind them. A flower on a thin stalk is male. Allow pollinating insects access to the flowers, even in a greenhouse or under protection. A small fruit that fails to grow first calls for a check of pollination and conditions.

When do you pick this cultivar?

Johnny’s beschrijft een nootachtige smaak en stevige textuur. Dat is een producentbeschrijving, geen smaaktest uit jouw tuin. Probeer een jonge vrucht eenvoudig te bereiden en ontdek zelf wat je aan dit ras waardeert.

Save your first harvest date in My garden. This gives you a personal reminder of the season and lets you look back later at which fruits you wanted to pick again.

A choice for next season

Keep the name and your own notes with your garden. Saved courgette seed may have cross-pollinated; choose reliable seed again if you want to be sure of growing the same characteristics.

Judge the cultivar by what matters to you: its shape in the kitchen, ease of harvesting or the space the plant needed. The AI illustration helps you explore its appearance; your own photos and harvest records show how growing it actually went.