Courgettes

[saddad]

It's getting to that time when people avoid you as you come back from the allotments... but has anyone seen any "Zucchetta, Rugosa Friulana" we used to see them in garden centres from "Franchi" but since Brexit I haven't seen any. It's our favourite, being firmer than most. The courgette is yellow and warty but great for cooking... my limited IT skills mean I haven't been able to source some. I even have an Italian allotment neighbour who looked when he was on holiday, but I was calling them Fruliana...

[saddad]

[Paulh]

A search throws up that a business called London Grow has them and other Franchi seeds.

[Obelixx]

I grew some last year after being given seeds by a gardening colleague.  Unfortunately surgery for a prosthetic knee meant I had to leave the gardening to OH in July and most of August and he didn't pick them small enough or often enough so the skins were like dried leather and the centres spongy.

This year I've stuck to normal yellow courgettes and some yellow courgette de Nice (round) but I've also had the other knee done so one or two zeppelins are creeping into the pantry and a small football form the Nice ones.   I've had words.

[saddad]

Thanks Paulh,
just ordered two packets... the website isn't really set up to sell seeds but the internal search engine is very efficient.

[saddad]

You are right Obelixx, then do go over very quickly... but picked small they are the best courgette... I'm no botanist but I suspect they aren't true courgettes but an estranged gourd...

[BarriedaleNick]

You can order them through seedsofitaly.com

https://seedsofitaly.com/courgette-rugosa-friuliana

Oddly they are a UK based company and I struggle to get them here in the EU.

[Deb P]

My all time favourite is Cavili, thin pale green skins and lovely firm creamy yellow flesh with tiny seeds. Difficult to get hold of these days, Jeanine recommended them years ago. 

[tricia]

If you find a supplier Deb please let us know! I've searched every year since I ran out of seeds but no luck. I've bookmarked the Friulana Rugosa at Seeds of Italy for next year and am on the hunt for Partenon too. I was too late this year so I'm growing Sure Thing instead and a very pale green one called  Bianca di Trieste in place of Cavili. Both are only just starting to produce after a poor start.

Tricia 

[saddad]

Well I don't recommend using the company I quoted... so far I have had eight contradictory emails, four saying they are on the way, four saying they are still in the basket... I have even sent an email to their customer service about it, without response... it may just be a glitche and the weekend, if they turn up I will be happy...

[Deb P]

If you find a supplier Deb please let us know! I've searched every year since I ran out of seeds but no luck. I've bookmarked the Friulana Rugosa at Seeds of Italy for next year and am on the hunt for Partenon too. I was too late this year so I'm growing Sure Thing instead and a very pale green one called  Bianca di Trieste in place of Cavili. Both are only just starting to produce after a poor start.

Tricia 

I'm also growing Bianca di Trieste, it was the closest I could find but it doesn't have the same creamy almost avocado like flesh of Cavili and deffo has bigger seeds. I'll let you know if I find any!
Funnily enough, Jeannine who told me about them years ago has popped up on the forum this morning!

[Tiny Clanger]

Like Barriedale Nick, I usually go through Seeds of Italy. They are prompt to answer emails and they were always helpful on the phone. Seedsxare not cheap, but germination % is very good.

[Deb P]

Have you seeds arrived yet?
I used up the last of my Franchi seeds of the seeds you were looking for this year, and they were another failed to germinate disaster! 🙄🙄🙄

[saddad]

Yep, they turned up yesterday... and an email answer from the company, which didn't answer my question..

[Deb P]

Yep, they turned up yesterday... and an email answer from the company, which didn't answer my question..

Well at least you've got your seeds!

[galina]

You can order them through seedsofitaly.com

https://seedsofitaly.com/courgette-rugosa-friuliana

Oddly they are a UK based company and I struggle to get them here in the EU.

https://www.samenhaus.de/zucchetta-rugosa-friulana/a-530085

https://deaflora.de/Shop/Zucchini-und-Patisson/Zucchini-Rugosa-Friulana.html?language=de