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Annual Biennial

Cucurbita pepo 'Badger Cross'
  • RHS AGM
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

marrow 'Badger Cross'

A vigorous British bred marrow variety with a neat, compact habit. It produces a high yield of distinctively striped marrows with dark and light green stripes which are easy to harvest between June and October. Shows excellent resistance to cucumber mosaic virus

Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
1 year
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Sand
Loam
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Neutral, Acid
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Yellow Green Green
Autumn Green Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H2
Botanical details
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Potentially harmful
If crop is bitter, don't eat. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus

A small genus of climbing or trailing, annual herbaceous fruits. Several edible species are cultivated for food and other uses. Native to Central and South America. Solitary, star-shaped flowers are usually golden-yellow. Leaves are palmately lobed, covered with tiny, prickly hairs

Name status

Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in rich, fertile, well drained soil in full sun. Start indoors in mid-late April, sowing in individual pots with seeds on their side about 1.5cm deep. Harden off before June then transplant outdoors to final growing position. See cucurbit cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds or sowing seeds indoors for further advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types
Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds and powdery mildews. Shows excellent resistance to cucumber mosaic virus

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