Growing Marrow

Cucurbitaceae : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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

(Best months for growing Marrow in Australia - sub-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

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.
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.
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.
23 Nov 21, Rosie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Apple cucumber urea does the job. Nice fleshy yellow cuces.
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.
10 Sep 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you go to the website
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 :)
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.
04 Sep 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Jane - blossom end rot, use 1-2 teaspoon of Epsom salts in 8-9l of water and apply to the soil. The yellow fruit - have they been pollinated and starting to grow the marrow. If the female flower of marrows, cuies, melons, pumpkin are not pollinated the little fruit will turn a different colour and shrivel up and die. The white spots could be a fungi or disease from damp conditions. Water in the morning so the plants and fruit dry out quick.
05 Sep 18, Jane (Australia - temperate climate)
Mike - my apology. I don't know how I missed your reply post. Re: The small yellow fruit that came off was the beginning of a marrow (I think?).On second thought - upon rereading your post, I have just realised that small,bulbous-like 'fruit' was a female plant and that, as you point out, it was not pollinated! Aha! A light comes on. So yes, that's what happened. What a vast difference between knowing and learning. We are on tight water restrictions (fortunate to have a drop of water!). I was using tank water in the afternoon although I have stopped the late afternoon watering.The leaves have improved 99% and marrows are forming which is so exciting. My one concern, perhaps, is that they might be adversely affected if they grow on the ground i.e. the ground resting side might soft,go brown and invite bugs/rot or something when they (prayerfully) reach that stage. Not sure what to do to help them.Watching them. When I water in the mornings should I water the foliage or just the ground? And will it be better to use sugar cane mulch? I am using dry leaves and grass cuttings (from when drought had not hit so hard). Thankyou for your post.Appreciated.
Showing 11 - 20 of 63 comments

approx how many marrows do you get from a single seed?.

- jackie

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