Fruiting crops
Marrow
Fruit picked tender for the kitchen or left to mature on the plant.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Jan-Feb,Oct-Dec
Core months: January, February, October, November, December
Temperate
Sow · Jan-Mar,Oct-Dec
Core months: January, February, March, October, November, December
Subtropical
Sow · Jan-Mar,Aug,Oct-Dec
Core months: January, February, March, August, October, November, December
Tropical
Sow · Mar-Aug
Core months: March, April, May, June, July, August
Arid
Sow · Jan-Feb,Aug,Oct-Dec
Core months: January, February, August, October, November, December
Getting started
Sow marrow seed in the recorded window; use trays only where local heat, cold or pest pressure makes establishment easier.
The right conditions
Choose the light, drainage and soil fertility suited to the crop; match watering to the climate and avoid prolonged waterlogging.
As it grows
Water consistently while establishing, mulch without burying the crown or stem, manage weeds early and provide support where the mature habit needs it.
Ready to harvest
Cut fruit while the skin is still tender for kitchen use, or leave selected fruit longer where a mature marrow is wanted.
Important cautions
Discard any fruit that tastes unusually bitter; bitterness in cucurbits can indicate toxic cucurbitacins.
Plant guidance: P11a propagation, food-safety and plant-specific guide audit. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.