When to sow Courgette in the UK
Across the UK the first sowing of courgette falls 11 weeks apart — mid April in the mildest areas, late June in the coldest. That gap is why a single national sowing date is wrong for almost everybody.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
Timings below are adjusted from the midlands and lowland wales baseline using Met Office average last and first frost dates for each area.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Sow outdoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late February to late March | mid April to early May | mid April to early May | late May to late August |
| South Coast and Channel | early March to early April | late April to early May | late April to early May | early June to early September |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late February to late March | mid April to early May | mid April to early May | late May to late August |
| South East and Home Counties | late March to mid April | early May to late May | early May to late May | mid June to mid September |
| East Anglia | late March to late April | mid May to late May | mid May to late May | late June to late September |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | early April to early May | late May to early June | late May to early June | early July to early October |
| Wales and West Coast | late March to mid April | early May to late May | early May to late May | mid June to mid September |
| Northern England | mid April to early May | late May to mid June | late May to mid June | mid July to early October |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | mid April to mid May | early June to mid June | early June to mid June | mid July to mid October |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | early May to early June | late June to mid July | late June to mid July | early August to early November |
| Northern Ireland | late March to late April | mid May to late May | mid May to late May | late June to late September |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late February to late March | mid April to late April | mid April to late April | late May to late August |
Growing notes
One plant produces 3-4 fruits a week in good weather, so a single courgette plant is usually enough for most households.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 90 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 90 cm
- Plants per m²
- 1
- Days to maturity
- 55 days
- Yield per plant
- 6.0 kg
- Sun
- Full sun
- Frost tender
- Yes — do not plant out until after the last frost
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 40 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 30 cm
- Balcony rating
- 2 out of 5
What usually goes wrong
- powdery mildew
- grey mould
- poor fruit set in cold weather
- slugs
Companion planting
Grows well near
Keep away from
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for courgette.