How To Harvest Courgettes

Courgettes yield from mid to late summer, at the height of season these will need harvesting frequently. They're ready when they are about 10 centimetres long and are a strong rich colour, like this yellow variety.

Remove any damaged courgettes. Cut through the soft stalk with a sharp knife, never twist or pull the fruit off as this will damage the plant. If the whole courgette is dried up or damaged, discard it. If the damage is partial, cut off the spoiled section and keep the rest. Move on to the healthy courgettes, harvesting in the same way. Keep the flower tops on purely for aesthetic reasons.

Whenever possible, harvest vegetables during the cool part of the morning, and process or store them as soon as you can