[erainn]

Planted some marrow plants in June and recently was pleasantly surprised to discover a marrow, currently about a foot in length am wondering as an allotment newbie if it's pickable or best to leave? Is there a way to tell when they are ready to harvest? Advice most welcome.

[Brewers]

pick it now!!

we had our first one earlier this week, stuffed with a beef ragu...deeelish

[Kleftiwallah]

Leave it to grow on.  The ground isn't needed for anything else is it?  The older the marrow, the harder the skin the better the keeping qualities.   Cheers,   Tony.

[Ice]

If it's big enough for a meal pick it now, it will encourage the plant to grow another and you have a nice meal. 

[noshed]

I had some tiny courgettes, then I went away on holiday for a week and ended up with two bags of huge marrows...

[themagicaltoad1]

I know they look like marrows if you don't pick them but are cougettes just little marrows? what's the difference and why plant marrows if you can just leave the cougettes to grow big? sorry if it's a stupid question but I'm still fairly new to this.

[mumofstig]

In Itallian, Zucca is a marrow, and zuccini(courgette) is a small marrow so I think they are exactly the same thing

Years ago my Dad grew marrows to store and use stuffed..........I never heard of anyone who ate their marrows small, in those days it would have been considered a waste

[brokenglass]

Basically a courgette and a marrow are the same plants but the Courgette has been bred to produce more fruits therefor removing them small will not be to the detriment of the plant.    Allowing a Courgette or Marrow to grow inhibits the production of other flowers/plants as the whole point for the plant is to produce seeds which is happening as the fruit grows larger.

[Yorkie]

Marrows tend to have harder skins in my experience - very similar family but slightly different.

[mumofstig]

The skins of the courgette big'uns, do toughen up just the same when you keep them, Yorkie.
I kept one in the kitchen until Chri the end of December last year 

[LewisNoah]

I also went on holiday for a couple of weeks and my courgettes ended up as 6 - 7 lb marrow's.  Had about 10 of them!! Neighbours did well as had to give them away as I can only eat so many!! 
Need advice myself as also new to this, the leaves are huge and taking up loads of room can I cut these back?  Hoping I can as now covering the beetroots! 

[DD.]

I have to agree with Yorkie here. the true marrow has a much tougher skin than a large courgette. If stored correctly it will last way beyond the start of next year.

However, I disagree with letting the current one mature, use it now as others have said. There's plenty of time to get more large ones for storage.