Growing Marrow

Cucurbitaceae : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S S S S            
      T T T T T        
      P P P P          

(Best months for growing Marrow in Australia - tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 20°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 90 - 120 cm apart
  • Harvest in 12-17 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Peas, Beans, Onions, Sweetcorn
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

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28 Jun 21, Jane (Australia - tropical climate)
John, Thanks for yr suggestion. I contacted Goodman's but they made no reply. Twenty-years of searching now comes to an end. I'm just not meant to eat find and eat marrow. All the best.
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26 Jun 21, Jane (Australia - tropical climate)
John (Mauger), Thank you so much!! I'll contact them. Best, Jane
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28 Apr 21, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
Search the net for seed selling companies and then ring them and ask. I know what you mean.
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15 Jun 21, Jane (Australia - tropical climate)
Anonymous, Thanks for your suggestion. I grew up with real marrow. I've been searching for marrow for 20 years!. People have tried to sell many other products as 'marrow'. Humiliating. Thanks again. I'm through with red herrings.
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06 Sep 18, Rita (United Kingdom - warm/temperate climate)
Hi,I was given some Apple Cucumber seeds but they do not look like the Australian pictures when grown. Very large green/stripe and round.Lovely yellow flowers which look like courgettes.Any ideas? Thanks, Rita.
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23 Nov 21, Rosie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Apple cucumber urea does the job. Nice fleshy yellow cuces.
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09 Sep 18, Angela (Australia - temperate climate)
I should have mentioned- my variety is Richmond Green Apple cucumber. Our climate has hot dry summers. In my wicking beds, which give good consistent moisture, this variety was by far the best and most consistent producer of the 7 types I tried last year.
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10 Sep 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you go to the website
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09 Sep 18, Angela (Australia - temperate climate)
That’s what my apple cucumbers look like. They can get quite large (about the size of an orange, but slightly oblate) if water and fertiliser are plentiful. In hotter weather I find they are smaller, but more are produced. In very hot weather here they stop producing until it cools down. The stripe is more pronounced on the larger fruits. I like to eat them :)
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07 Sep 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Look on the internet and try and work out what you have. Hand pollinate the female flowers and see what vegie you have.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 65 comments
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Australian Marrow varieties, like Zuccini are all from the Pepo family of pumpkins. Female flowers will have a tiny immature fruit at the base, while male flowers will end at the stem. Its normal for the first flush of flowers to be male only. This attracts bees to the plant before it puts energy into female flowers. You can hand pollinate by plucking a male flower, stripping the petals and then brushing the pollen on the stamen across the female flower's stigma. Marrow varieties still sold in Australia are Australian White, Cowlard Greens, Long Green Bush, Long Green Bush II, Giant, & Melbourne Cream. Australian White & Melbourne Cream may date back to World War II at least. If the squash you are growing is Cucuzza, an old mediterranean variety of gourd, then you will need to seek advice from someone else. The good news is Cucuzza seed is not rare, it is available from Eden Seeds, The Seed Collection and several other online seed stores.

- Ken

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