Young fruits are eaten raw or cooked and have a similar taste to cucumbers. Older fruits are cooked (stuffed like marrows). Also leaves and young shoots can be cooked. Start in a greenhouse/polytunnel in the spring and it is possible to get reasonable yields in most years outdoors in Britain. In northern areas will need to grow indoors. The vines will grow rapidly once established and can be trained over trellises.
Start 2 or 3 seeds in a pot and thin the seedlings to the strongest plant. Plant out after the last expected frost and give the plants some protection (such as a cloche) until they are established and the weather warms up.
