Main feature zucchini - versatility and simplicity. And we are talking not only about culinary characteristics, when grown, it also does not cause any trouble at all. To reap a good harvest, gardeners need to work a little physically and apply some agrotechnical knowledge. Next, we will talk about how to properly grow zucchini in the open field, which neighbors to choose for them, how to fertilize, and whether the plant needs it.
Sowing zucchini seeds in open ground
The successful cultivation of this variety of cucurbits largely depends on the quality of the seeds, the chosen site and the complex. preparatory work. It consists in pre-sowing seed treatment, plowing and its enrichment with nutrients. Let's look at all the subtleties in more detail. 
When to sow seeds outdoors
As soon as the threat of spring frosts passes, and friendly shoots of other crops appear in the garden, you need to sow zucchini in open ground. This usually happens in the last decade of May and at the beginning. 
Did you know? For a long time, zucchini was grown as an exotic crop exclusively in greenhouses, and only in Mexico - in their historical homeland - they consumed seeds for food. The Italians were the first to dare to try the whole vegetable.
How to prepare zucchini seeds
All the worries about the future harvest begin with the choice of seed material. Some housewives collect it from their own, while others prefer purchased. It is important to check home seeds for germination.
To do this, they are soaked in a very weak solution of potassium permanganate, after which the settled specimens are kept for about 20 minutes in a growth stimulator. are completing this stage preparatory work by rinsing and wrapping the selected grains in a damp and warm cloth. 
Important! Zucchini grains, homemade or purchased, except for hybrids, are suitable for planting for 5-8 years. Quality specimens remain viable for longer.
After the seed swells, but does not yet take root, it is stratified for 48 hours at a temperature of about 0 ° C. Then the bundle is placed on the southern windowsill for a week, periodically wetting with water. 
The material is ready for planting when root processes up to a third of the grains long have developed on it. Not all summer residents are engaged in the germination of zucchini. Many plant seeds in open ground, processed only either.
Choosing a place for planting zucchini
When looking for a suitable bed for pumpkin crops, take note of the thermophilicity of zucchini and their main requirements for growing agrotechnics. Plants will be very comfortable in an open, well-lit area, where there are no buildings or trees nearby. 
It is desirable that the vegetables were in the sun throughout the day. It is also important to consider the landscape of the site: avoid cold lowlands, drafts and windy areas.
Don't be in a hurry to plan your garden: in this case, it is important to understand, after which and with what it is better to plant zucchini.
Experts consider ideal predecessors for culture:, all types, and. For 3-4 years, it is not recommended to cultivate representatives of the pumpkin family in the same area. Also, do not sow where they grew before.
Important! Almost all imported zucchini seeds from stores are hybrids. They are not suitable for collecting next year's seed.
Wrong crop rotation and neighborhood will make it difficult for the development of zucchini. This is because the grains end up in depleted soil, and an unfavorable pathogenic environment has remained from the predecessors. 
In no case should you plant and next to zucchini. Cucurbits and melons have a common nutritional requirement and the same sensitivity to pathogens. As a result of such an experiment, you will get crop failure on both beds.
Preparatory work on the plot for zucchini
What exactly needs to be done on the site before planting depends on the physico-chemical characteristics of the substrate on it. Many, when asked what kind of soil is needed for zucchini, without hesitation, answer: “Warm”. This is an important nuance, because in a cold environment the seeds will not sprout, but not the main one. First, determine the soil composition in the garden and adjust it with fertilizers. 
Did you know? Zucchini has a diuretic effect, removes sodium salts from the body, improves bowel function, improves metabolic processes and digestion.
If you have:
Did you know? Scientists have proven that people who regularly eat zucchini dishes practically do not turn gray. This happens through the activation of melanin, which is responsible for the pigment of the hair.
The scheme and depth of sowing seeds
The technology of growing zucchini in open ground provides for significant distances between adjacent bushes. Experienced vegetable growers are advised to retreat in rows of 1 meter and leave one and a half meter aisles. Sowing should be carried out in moist soil, preferably in cloudy weather or in the morning. 
The holes are made shallow, but wide. A soil mixture with an organic preparation Effekton is added to the bottom (1 tablespoon in each hole), 3 grains are sown at a distance of 2-3 cm.
If it is necessary to save crops from frost, seedlings are covered with hay, film or cut bottles (each plant separately).
How to care for zucchini outdoors
The subsequent care of the squash bed in the garden consists in timely feeding and weeding. Let's deal with everything in order. 
Soil irrigation mode
Watering zucchini is carried out only under the root, since water should not fall on the foliage. Before the appearance of flowers, it is advisable to moisten once a week, and when the ovary is formed, the amount of moisture should be doubled. Under each bush, it is desirable to pour from 5 to 10 liters of warm water. 
Always collect water for irrigation in advance, otherwise you will have to observe a lot of festering greens on the site. Do not overdo it - excessive watering exposes the root system of the zucchini, which leads to its death. Plants need to be saved with a mixture of peat and compost. It is enough to pour a layer up to 5 cm high around the bush.
Important! If there are no bees flying in the garden, and zucchini are in full bloom, pick a male-type flower, tear off the petals from it and put it with a pestle in a female flower. So you can pollinate up to 3 stamens.
Loosening and weeding between rows
For zucchini, as for all other plants, the condition of the soil in the garden matters. A pumpkin culture will not be able to fully develop if nutrients growing nearby are taken from it. Therefore, it is very important to process row-spacings with a hoe in time and manually remove unnecessary vegetation from the bushes. 
Fertilizer for zucchini
You can feed the squash bed with root and foliar methods.
For the season you need to carry out 3 top dressing:
Did you know? In cooking, not only the fruits of zucchini, but also flowers have found application. They are also fried, boiled, baked, added fresh to salads. And in Greece, you will be treated to rice and cheese baked in zucchini petals.
Foliar top dressing for zucchini in the open field can be carried out, if desired, during the period of fruit ripening. For these purposes, the plant is treated with drugs and Ross.
Prevention and protection against pests and diseases of zucchini
Cucurbits are susceptible to attack,. They can also be affected by rot, mold, and. In order not to lose the harvest, it is important to take preventive measures in time. To combat harmful insects, experts recommend insecticides (
Zucchini is one of the most popular vegetables that can be found in the garden. It is unpretentious in cultivation, and a large number of culinary masterpieces are prepared from its fruits. In Russia, due to climatic conditions, seedlings are planted. Already grown plants are planted in open ground so that the fruits have time to ripen before harvesting.
Growing seedlings of zucchini at home is not as scary and difficult as it seems at first glance. Even novice gardeners are able to cope with this task. But in any case, zucchini seeds and soil for them require careful preparation, and young seedlings need care and attention. Only if the required conditions are met will it be possible to grow strong plants that will bear fruit well.
When to plant zucchini for seedlings
Planting zucchini for seedlings is carried out in strict accordance with the varietal characteristics of plants, and also depends on the climate of the region where they will be grown. Planting zucchini seeds begins in April or May - a month before the seedlings move into open ground.
Selection and preparation of soil for seedlings
The best option for cultivating squash seedlings will be a nutrient soil that has a neutral pH or a slightly alkaline environment. The soil mixture is prepared independently, or purchased in ready-made in the shop. In the latter case, the choice should be made in favor of the soil for pumpkin crops.
Home soil is prepared from peat and sod land with the addition of humus and sawdust (the ratio of all these ingredients is 5:2:2:1). An acidic substrate is recommended to be mixed with a small amount of ash or chalk.
Soil preparation consists in its disinfection. The easiest way is to shed the earth with boiling water - this is an excellent preventive measure against a disease such as a black leg.
The prepared soil is placed in washed pots, having a diameter of about 8-10 cm and a depth of about 10-15 cm. The container should have drainage holes. It is also convenient to use peat pots.
Seed processing and preparation
After the preparation of the soil and containers is completed, they deal directly with the seeds themselves. They are sorted, during which non-viable and empty instances are removed. To do this, the seeds can be dipped in salted water and see which ones come up (the ones that come up are unsuitable for planting, they are caught and thrown away).
Then the selected seeds are kept in water with a temperature of about 50 degrees for 5 hours. After such a "bath", it is recommended to lower them for about 5 minutes in cold water. This measure is an excellent prevention against the fungus.
Planting material can also be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate for about 20 minutes. After this treatment, it needs to be rinsed with clean water.
In order for the seeds to wake up, they need to be heated up to 10-12 hours on a battery or for several days in the sun. Next, you need to do the germination of zucchini seeds - for this, the planting material is placed on a moistened cloth. Gauze cannot be used, as the roots in it will definitely get tangled and can break off. Sprouted seeds require immediate planting.
Usually the seeds bought in the store have already undergone all the necessary preparation. This is indicated on the packaging with them. Preparation of zucchini seeds for sowing in this case is not required.
Sowing seeds
Planting zucchini seeds for seedlings is carried out in a moist soil mixture. To do this, the soil laid on 2/3 in pots is spilled warm water. Each seed is placed lying down to a depth of 2-3 cm (usually 1-2 seeds are placed in one container). It is not worth planting zucchini vertically - they will not be able to germinate. Next, the seeds are sprinkled with soil and again spilled with water, and the container is closed with polyethylene.
seedling care
Growing seedlings of zucchini is a responsible occupation. If small seedlings are not properly cared for at home after planting, then a good harvest can not be expected.
Before the appearance of the first sprouts, it is required in the room where the container with plantings stands to withstand a temperature of about 18-24 degrees. Watering during this period is carried out approximately once every 7 days, with warm water.
As soon as the first shoots appear above the ground, the film is removed from the container, and the seedling containers themselves are placed in a bright and slightly cooler room. The optimum temperature is about 15-18 degrees during the day, and at night - about 13-15. When the sprouts become older, the temperature indicators are maintained at around 17-22 degrees in the daytime and up to 13-17 at night.
Lighting should be stable and sufficient, so you can place the container on the windowsill. A screen made of foil and installed around the seedlings will help increase the amount of light so that it reflects the light coming from the window and directs it to the bushes.
Air humidity must be maintained within moderate limits. If the room is too dry, then a damp cloth is placed on the heating radiator.
If 2 sprouts sit in pots, then the frailest of them should be cut off at the very root with scissors. It is not necessary to pull it out, since during such a removal it can also damage a strong plant.
Watering is done every 10 days. Water is supplied under the root, it should not fall on the leaves. Consumption - about a liter for 8 pots.
Approximately 7 days after the appearance of green shoots, zucchini is fertilized. Top dressing is made with carbamide and superphosphate, which are diluted in an amount of 0.5 tbsp. l. / l of warm water. Secondary fertilizer is applied 10 days after the first top dressing, this time it is prepared from nitrophoska and ash (0.5 tablespoons each), diluted in 1 liter of water. Any fertilizers are applied only after preliminary watering, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the root system of seedlings.
If the zucchini stretches significantly during growth, then the top of the plant needs to be pinched. It is also recommended to pour soil into the container, this will allow the roots to develop more actively and form additional roots on the stem that has gone under the soil layer.
About a week before planting seedlings on the street, it is recommended to harden it. To do this, containers with seedlings are taken out in the daytime to fresh air, first for a short time, and then left for a longer period.
Planting seedlings of zucchini on the site
Planting seedlings of zucchini on the street is carried out no earlier than 2-4 pairs of full-fledged leaves appear in the sprouts, that is, at the age of about 25-30 days. It is not recommended to overexpose the bushes, as they will begin to turn yellow and die.
When can seedlings be planted outdoors?
Zucchini are planted in open ground in the period from May to July. The main thing is to evaluate the varietal characteristics and the timing of fruit ripening, as well as climatic conditions, and choose the planting time in accordance with these factors. The air temperature should be around 15 degrees.
To collect fresh fruits in different time and extend the fruiting period, it is recommended to plant seedling bushes at different times, in parts.
Site selection and garden preparation
For a zucchini, a place well lit by the sun, but at the same time having protection from the wind, is ideal. Groundwater should be low. The best soil for zucchini is one that contains a lot of humus, fertile. Plants will also grow on depleted soils, but it will not be possible to wait for abundant fruiting from them.
Good precursors for zucchini are potatoes, onions, tomatoes, eggplants, cabbage, and various green manure herbs. But after cucumbers and pumpkins, this vegetable grows well and will not bear fruit. Even being next to them, the plant will have problems with growth and development.
It is not worth growing zucchini in the same place all the time. These plants quickly deplete soils.
The preparation of the beds is as follows: 14 days before planting the seedlings, the soil is dug up to the depth of the shovel bayonet (about 25 cm). Then you need to apply fertilizer. This can be a self-prepared mixture of compost or humus, sawdust, ash (2 cups), superphosphate (2 tablespoons), potassium sulfate (1 tablespoon), carbamide (1 tablespoon). In this amount, substances are applied to 1 m 2 of soil. You can fertilize the soil in autumn or spring.
How to plant seedlings in open ground
Zucchini seedlings are planted in open ground according to a certain scheme - usually it is given on the package with seeds. It must be remembered that between the rows of plants there should be 1-1.5 m of free space. In general, more than 3 bushes cannot be planted per 1 m 2, otherwise they will be cramped.
The landing is made in cloudy weather. A small amount of ash and humus is placed in each prepared well, and the pits themselves are spilled with water. The plant, together with a clod of earth, is removed from the container or placed in a hole right in a peat pot to the level of the cotyledon leaves. Next, the hole is covered with soil, which is lightly compacted and mulched.
In the event of a threat of frost, plantings must be covered with polyethylene or plastic bottles.
Caring for zucchini on the site
Zucchini is not capricious, and it is easy to care for them in the open field. It is only important to carry out the basic procedures - this is watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening the soil.
Watering
Watering zucchini is required under the root with water warmed up in the sun (22-25 degrees). The procedure is performed in the evening. During the hot season, you can water the bushes daily. Until the formation of ovaries, about 10-12 liters of water are spent on 1 bush. Grown zucchini with large leaves is irrigated every few days, depending on weather conditions. The main thing is not to overmoisten the plantings. The frequency of watering increases from the moment the fruits appear.
Weeding and loosening
The more airy the soil, the better it permeates warm air, which is important for the proper development of zucchini. So that there is no hard earthen crust around the plants, the soil is regularly loosened. The process is combined with weeding and weed removal and is done about 2-3 times throughout the season. Hilling is carried out no earlier than 5 leaves are formed in the plants.
Feeding
Zucchini loves fertilizers made from weeds. They are collected, placed in a barrel, filled with water and, stirring occasionally, insist for a week. Then the mixture is filtered and diluted with water (1:8). With this infusion, zucchini is watered 14 days after planting seedlings. Re-feeding is done after 7 days. Herbal infusion is allowed to alternate with the introduction of manure, diluted in water (1:10) and infused for several days in the sun. The third time fertilizers are applied when the ovaries appear. Only this time, ash (1 cup) and superphosphate (1 tbsp) are added to the herbal infusion (10 l).
Expert opinion
Maria Vlasova
gardener
Ask an expertZucchini - unpretentious plant, characterized by good germination and excellent fruiting. Even novice summer residents can grow it, but it is imperative to follow all the rules for caring for it.
Zucchini is delicious vegetable and also very popular. This fruit is used to prepare various dishes, but its main advantage is the ability to use zucchini for people on a diet. Due to the widespread use of zucchini, gardeners are increasingly striving to get this fruit in their area, as a result it becomes topical issue about when to plant zucchini for seedlings and how to independently grow a good crop of this crop.
How to plant zucchini for seedlings
How to properly prepare seed
Planting zucchini for seedlings in a tricky way
Choosing a container for young animals
Planting a squash crop in the soil
Fight against negative external factors
Conclusion
How to plant zucchini for seedlings
Let's take a closer look below:
- how to plant zucchini for seedlings;
- when to plant in open ground;
- how to plant to get a rich harvest;
- what kind of care should be in order to enjoy the results of their work;
- everything about this amazing culture;
- what are the secrets of its cultivation.
This is what we will try to find out more together.
It is not difficult to grow a squash culture; for these purposes, two methods are most often used, namely:
- planting zucchini for seedlings;
- planting seed directly into the soil.
As a rule, at the moment, in most cases, gardeners resort to the first option. The fact is that by planting zucchini seedlings in the spring, you can get early fruits. Well, when the gardener does not plan to take an early harvest, then you can plant zucchini with seeds. In this case, the crop is sown directly into the ground.
The seedling method is more popular due to its many advantages, namely:
- Obtaining an early harvest, subject to well-grown squash sprouts.
- Squash seedlings give confidence that the gardener will be able to harvest, in contrast to direct sowing into the soil.
- Zucchini seedlings make it possible to get tasty fruits even in those regions that are distinguished by cool summers.
- By purchasing high-quality zucchini seeds for seedlings, you can expect that the fruits will fully comply with the declared qualities of the manufacturer, when sowing in the ground does not provide such a guarantee.
Planting zucchini seeds for seedlings requires certain manipulations to get good result. Therefore, for starters, you need to choose the right seed.
How to properly prepare seed
Preparing zucchini seeds is a simple procedure that even a gardener with no experience can handle, this also applies to growing. The only thing that is required is to strictly follow a few simple rules. Preparatory work is carried out in several stages in order to obtain strong sprouts from the planted seeds at the output, namely:
- Before you buy planting material, you need to familiarize yourself with its characteristics. The main thing is to choose the right variety for your region. It is worth noting that some gardeners recommend buying several varieties at once in order to get a squash culture of different ripening periods.
- When the planting material is selected, you need to sort the seeds and check their quality for germination. For these purposes, a saline solution is used, in which the seeds are placed for an hour. Those that give high-quality seedlings will sink to the bottom, and defective ones will float to the surface. It is necessary to get rid of such material, since they will not bring results.
- The third stage of preparatory work is to carry out disinfection. To do this, the planting material is placed in warm water and allowed to brew for seven hours, and then immediately sent to cold water.
- The last stage of preparatory work is growth stimulation. To do this, they purchase a drug in any specialized store - a stimulant in which you need to place the seeds for an hour.
At the moment, breeders have created various hybrid varieties of squash crops that do not require much preparatory work. And if you buy such seed in the spring, then you can immediately plant seeds in April in pre-prepared containers.
Therefore, acquiring this culture, you must read the instructions. As a rule, manufacturers indicate the relevant information on each package.
Planting zucchini for seedlings in a tricky way
Sowing zucchini, sowing zucchini, is performed after the material has been prepared. In addition, it is worth noting that it is better to germinate the seeds before planting. To do this, you can take a cloth napkin, previously moistened with water, and wrap the seeds in it.
Literally in two days, the first sprouts of sown seeds will hatch, which can be safely planted in the soil.
Experienced gardeners are a kind of experimenters who delight us with new inventions that help to get an early harvest easily and simply.
For planting zucchini, they use the most unusual materials, such as a simple plastic bottle, cut in half, on the bottom of which a damp cloth with seeds is placed for early germination.
When to sow zucchini? In this case, as soon as the seed germinates, it must be immediately planted in previously prepared soil. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to such a detail: if the seed is swollen, then you should not wait until a young sprout appears, it must be planted immediately.
The fact is that the young are very fragile and in order to prevent damage, it is better not to wait until the small green pagon rises a little.
Another important issue is the timing of planting zucchini for seedlings. In this case, you need to do the following, namely:
- choose the optimal time when the days for planting become warm;
- we count from this period the time required for seedlings to strengthen for about two to three weeks;
- determine the time when you need to plant zucchini.
It is worth noting that in the vast majority this time falls in the spring in May or early June. Well, as for such an action as sowing zucchini seeds, in order to properly complete this task, they start sowing from March.
The next step is to start planting seeds. In order to have a place to place the seed, you need to take care of the soil and containers in advance. To begin with, choose the soil: it can be purchased ready-made or you can prepare a soil mixture yourself.
To do this, you will need to stock up on the following components, namely:
- peat, five parts;
- soddy soil two parts;
- rotted humus two parts;
- sawdust one piece.
Everything is mixed well and you can start planting zucchini, which were prepared in advance.
Choosing a container for young animals
Zucchini seedlings are very delicate, fragile and especially sensitive to such manipulations as further transplanting to a permanent place of deployment. Therefore, this issue must be approached very carefully. Young squash crops take root very poorly, and sometimes they may even die.
In the vast majority, this happens when gross errors were made during the transplant. Sometimes it is enough to literally fall apart to someone of the earth on the spine, so that the sprout breaks.
It is for this reason that such a procedure as picking a squash culture is not carried out. They try to grow each sprout in a separate container, so that later it can be carefully planted at a permanent place of deployment.
Therefore, do not rush to throw away empty juice containers and plastic bottles, all this will come in handy as a container for sprouting squash sprouts.
How to grow seedlings of zucchini: for this you need to choose the optimal volume of the container in which you plan to plant zucchini seeds. This procedure is performed as follows:
- Planted seeds are deepened by 3 cm so that the sharp end looks down.
- For one container, it is necessary to use a couple of seeds, but if both sprouts sprout, then the weakest sprout is then disposed of.
- Zucchini must be regularly moistened with settled water.
- When such a procedure as sowing zucchini for seedlings is completed, the container is transferred to warm room and keep there until the first sprouts hatch.
- After the appearance of young animals, containers with squash culture are transferred to another place where it is possible to maintain a constant temperature regime.
The further actions of the gardener are to ensure regular moisturizing, hardening and feeding the young, namely:
- it is necessary to loosen the earth very carefully so as not to damage the delicate sprouts;
- moistening is carried out once a week, while making sure that the top ball of soil always remains slightly moist;
- when growing squash seedlings at home, it is worth taking care of its hardening, for this, young growth must be taken out into the fresh air, gradually increasing the time the sprouts stay on the street;
- You should definitely pay attention to such a procedure as top dressing.
It is performed as follows: a week after the first shoots appear, the first top dressing is done, then two weeks after the first top dressing, the manipulation is repeated.
As described above, the timing of sowing seeds for seedlings should be completed three weeks before favorable days come for planting young animals in open soil.
But it is worth noting that if you follow all the recommendations that were described above, you can get planting material in just two weeks.
Planting a squash crop in the soil
Well, the time has come for the landing of the strengthened pagons to a permanent place of deployment. And in this case, the question of how to properly plant a squash crop becomes relevant.
First of all, it is worth deciding how the gardener will plant: seeds or seedlings. If the gardener chose the cultivation of squash culture in seedlings, it means that he already has strong sprouts that urgently need to be planted at a permanent place of deployment. So what should be the action:
- Choose a place where young sprouts will be relocated according to the following indicators. It should be a sunny, windless area. It is very important to emphasize one feature, the next year in the same place they do not re-plant a squash crop, the earth will need a three-year rest for the field of this fruit.
- The second stage in such a matter as when to plant zucchini with seedlings, soil preparation plays an important role. This manipulation is best done beforehand in the fall. After harvesting, compost is introduced into the soil, and then the soil is digged. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, the future bed is loosened and re-fertilized in the form of saltpeter.
- And last preparatory stage- create right beds. Zucchini culture has one property. It can grow over a fairly large distance, so before you prepare the planting holes, you need to roughly calculate the distance between each planted sprout.
As a rule, it is enough to observe an indent of 90 cm and make a row spacing of 1.5 meters. In this case, each plant will develop normally and will not shade each other.
How to plant zucchini in the soil so that they please good harvest. To do this, in the spring, when young animals are planted, a little ash and rotted bird droppings must be added to each hole. And also it is worth choosing the right time for landing.
In this case, the ideal day would be when there is no sun in the sky.
When the gardener begins to plant seedlings, then one point should be taken into account, if the young grow in peat cups, then the roots are not removed from such containers. And they land in the soil right with them. In this case, it is necessary to deepen the plant to the lowest leaves.
In the case when there is a possibility of an attack by night frosts, you need to cover the young for the night, and be sure to mulch each seedling.
And one more little secret, which is revealed by experienced gardeners, in order for the young to strengthen it, it is necessary to shade it for several days, as they say. In other words, artificially create a shadow for its adaptation.
Fight against negative external factors
Well, above, together we found out almost everything about such a delicious fruit as zucchini growing from seeds when to plant, as well as all the aspects of caring for this crop. Thanks to this, even every novice gardener will be able to answer such a question when to plant zucchini.
But at the same time, one more question remains unsolved, and this is how to protect the squash culture from various pests and defects.
You can overcome such an attack in the following way: ordinary ash is poured under each bush or special granules are bought. Such a measure will help not only to defeat dangerous pests, but also to prevent their onset.
Conclusion
Zucchini is a unique crop that not only can be planted, but also needed. And so that those sprouts that you planted with your own hands will please you in the future with a good harvest, try to follow just a couple of simple rules:
- choose seed;
- suitable for your climate;
- determine the right time to sow the seeds.
These simple rules will help every gardener, even without experience in land work, to get bountiful harvest delicious dietary fruit.
Zucchini is a good crop that grows immediately after sowing and pleases with an excellent harvest. Zucchini is used even for treatment various defects, and the benefits of drinking even for young children can not be said. This culture is capable of producing many tasty fruits.
And in order for zucchini to grow and please the eye, it is enough just to carry out simple and painstaking manipulations on the zucchini garden and this culture will surely please you with a generous harvest.
Grow this yummy, because zucchini is one of the few plants that is not whimsical in care, but is able to generously share its harvest with a person.
Plant marrow (Cucurbita pepo var. giraumontia) is a bush variety of hard-barked gourd and belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is a vegetable with oblong fruits of yellow, green, white or black-green color with delicate pulp, which is eaten raw, fried, stewed, pickled and canned. The zucchini vegetable comes from the Oaxaca Valley in Mexico, from where in the 16th century, along with other outlandish products for the Old World, it came to Europe, where it was first grown in greenhouses as rare plant and only in the 18th century did its unripe fruits first hit the table. Since then, zucchini, due to its low calorie content, easy digestibility and excellent taste, has become a popular ingredient. European cuisine and diet food, they are included in the menu for children and patients on the mend, used for salads, hot dishes and preparations for the winter.
About how zucchini is grown in open ground, when to plant zucchini seedlings, how to grow zucchini seedlings, how zucchini is planted in a greenhouse, how to plant zucchini in open ground, how to water zucchini, how to treat zucchini from diseases and pests, how to collect zucchini , store them in winter and much more you will learn from this article.
Planting and caring for zucchini
- Landing: sowing seeds in the ground - from early May to early June, sowing seeds for seedlings - from early April to early May, transplanting seedlings into the ground - on average a month after germination, that is, in late May or early June.
- Lighting: bright sunlight.
- The soil: seasoned organic fertilizers light loam or chernozem of neutral or slightly alkaline reaction.
- Predecessors: good - peas, tomatoes, lettuce, parsley, cabbage, carrots, radishes, onions, garlic and green manure; bad - all cucurbits.
- Watering: regular and abundant, in the evening: until the moment the leaves close up - daily, after - once every 5-6 days in cool and cloudy weather and once every 2-3 days in the heat.
- Top dressing: solutions of organic fertilizers: two weeks after transplanting seedlings into the ground, then another week later, and the third - during the formation of ovaries. Before making solutions, the area is watered.
- Reproduction: seed.
- Pests: slugs, melon aphids and whiteflies.
- Diseases: powdery mildew, black mold, bacteriosis, white rot, anthracnose and root rot.
Read more about growing zucchini below.
Zucchini vegetable - description
Zucchini (a diminutive of the Ukrainian word kabak, which means "pumpkin") - an annual herbaceous plant with a well-developed root system up to 1.5 m in diameter, the central root of which is able to penetrate 1.5-1.7 m deep, although the bulk of the roots are underground no deeper than 40 cm. Stems with large five-lobed leaves on slightly pubescent petioles form a powerful bush with a large number of both male and female flowers.
The growing season of zucchini is short, the yield is high, curved, round or elongated fruits of all shades of green, as well as yellow, white and striped, ripen quickly and in large quantities. Several varieties of zucchini are not planted in one area, since this plant is cross-pollinated.
Growing zucchini from seeds
Sowing zucchini seeds
Growing seedlings of zucchini allows you to get ripe fruits earlier than sowing seeds in open ground, but the disadvantage of zucchini grown through seedlings is that they are not suitable for storage, and you will have to quickly eat or process the entire crop. If you need zucchini for storage, you need to sow seeds in open ground from the first days of May to the beginning of June, when the soil at a depth of 8-10 cm warms up to a temperature of 12-13 ºC.
Before sowing, zucchini seeds must be prepared: soak for a day or two in a liter of warm water with the addition of a tablespoon of ash (instead of an ash solution, you can use solutions of trace elements, Zircon or Epin, potassium humate) or warm them in the sun for a week, or by soaking them for a day in warm water, then wrap in a damp cloth and keep for 3-4 days at a temperature of 22-25 ºC. But the surest way to prepare planting material is its hardening: you need to alternately place the seeds for 14-16 hours in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator, and then keep them at room temperature for 8-10 hours.
The soil on the site for zucchini is also prepared in advance: they dig from autumn to the depth of a shovel bayonet, adding 10-15 kg of compost per 1 m², 50-60 g of superphosphate and a handful wood ash. In spring, the surface of the plots is leveled, rows of holes are made about 10 cm deep according to the scheme 70x50 cm (no more than 3 holes per m² of plot), a tablespoon of ash and humus is laid out in each hole, fertilizers are thoroughly mixed with the soil, the holes are well shed, then they are laid out in 2-3 zucchini seeds each and fill the holes with soil so that the seeds are at a depth of 5-7 cm if the soil in the area is light, or no deeper than 3-5 cm if the soil is heavy. When all the sown seeds germinate, leave only one plant in the hole, and transplant the rest.
Growing seedlings of zucchini
If you want to get zucchini as quickly as possible, you will have to use the seedling seed propagation method. Pre-sowing treatment of seeds is carried out in the same way as when sowing in open ground - the main thing is that they swell before sowing and have tiny sprouts. The soil for seedlings of zucchini should be neutral or slightly alkaline and consist of 50% peat soil, 20% humus with the addition of 20% soddy soil and 10% sawdust.
If there is a need to lower the acidity of the substrate, ash or chalk is added to it. The stores sell a ready-made mixture called "Exo" - you can successfully grow seedlings in it.
The soil mixture is laid out in peat pots with a diameter of 8-10 cm, shed it for disinfection hot water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then the zucchini seeds are laid out in pots, they are deepened by 2 cm and the containers are covered with film or glass. Planting zucchini for seedlings is carried out 3-4 weeks before they are planted in open ground - depending on climatic conditions, this may be the beginning of April, or maybe the beginning of May.
Until the seeds germinate, the temperature in the room is maintained within 20-22 ºC, and when shoots appear, the cover is removed from the pots and transferred under bright diffused light to a cooler room (this can be a glazed balcony or loggia), in which the temperature will be kept during the day within 15-18 ºC, and at night will not fall below 13-15 ºC. After a week, restore the previous temperature regime (20-22 ºC). This is done so that the seedlings do not stretch out, and that is why there should be a lot of light in the room where the zucchini grows.
Water the seedlings as needed with settled water. room temperature without allowing the topsoil to dry out.
Caring for seedlings of zucchini involves at least two fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers. A week or ten days after germination, squash is fertilized with a solution of mullein (1:10), pouring 50 g of fertilizer under each plant, or with a mineral composition, dissolving 2-3 g of urea and 5-7 g of superphosphate in a liter of water and spending on half a glass of solution for each pot. A week later, seedlings are fed with a solution of one teaspoon of nitrophoska in a liter of water at the rate of one glass per seedling. Never use a chlorine-based zucchini fertilizer!
Picking zucchini
When asked by readers how to dive zucchini, we answer: no way. Zucchini are among those plants that do not tolerate picking, so they are immediately sown in separate pots. If there are two or three shoots in the pots, leave only one plant in each container, and transplant the rest. You can think of this process as a pick if you like.
Planting zucchini in open ground
When to plant zucchini in the ground
Planting zucchini in the ground is carried out on average a month after germination. This usually occurs in late May or early June, when the threat of a return frost has passed.
Soil for zucchini
A place for zucchini is chosen sunny, on the south or southwest side, protected from the wind, with low groundwater, with a neutral or slightly alkaline soil reaction. In areas where pumpkins grew (all types of zucchini, cucumbers, squash, pumpkin), zucchini cannot be grown for at least three years, otherwise the risk of disease typical for pumpkin plants will be too high.
Peas, tomatoes, parsley, lettuce, cabbage, onions, garlic, radishes, carrots, potatoes, green manure are considered good predecessors for zucchini.
Since autumn, after the disposal of the predecessors, the site is dug up to a depth of about 30 cm with the simultaneous application of 5 kg of organic matter (compost or humus), 20 g of potassium sulfate, 30 g of superphosphate per m² of area. In the spring, the soil on the site is loosened to a depth of 10 cm, adding 15 g of ammonium nitrate per m², after which the surface is leveled.
How to plant zucchini in open ground
Seedling holes are made at such a distance that there are no more than 3 plants per m² of plot, the distance between the rows is left within 1-1.5 m. Before planting, a little ash and humus are placed in each hole, mixing them with the soil, then planted seedlings with a clod of earth, deepening it along the cotyledon leaves, add soil to the hole, ram it and water it.
Planting seedlings of zucchini in open ground is carried out in warm cloudy weather. If you have concerns that the cold may return, cover each seedling plastic bottle or install metal arcs on the site and cover the seedlings on top of them with polyethylene. The next day after planting, it is necessary to loosen the soil on the site.
Growing zucchini in a greenhouse
It is necessary to plant seedlings in a film greenhouse in cloudy weather or in the afternoon 2-3 weeks earlier than in open ground, which means that you need to sow seeds for seedlings earlier by the same number of days. Add to round or square holes about 30 cm deep and about 50 cm wide, located at a distance of 70-80 cm from each other, a pound of peat-dung compost with 30 g of potassium sulfate and 50 g of superphosphate, spill the holes, plant seedlings in them, fill holes with earth and water again.
The daytime temperature in the greenhouse should be within 23-25 ºC, the night temperature should be about 14-15 ºC, the soil temperature should not be lower than 18 ºC, and the air humidity should be maintained at 60-70%. Caring for seedlings of zucchini in a greenhouse includes regular airing and moderate watering of seedlings, timely loosening of the soil, weeding and top dressing. If the plants grow leaves too intensively, this can increase the humidity of the air greatly, and the zucchini will drop the ovary. To prevent this from happening, cut off 2-4 leaves at the bottom or middle of the stems, and also ventilate the greenhouse regularly.
zucchini care
How to grow zucchini
Caring for zucchini in the open field includes regular watering of the site, followed by loosening and weeding between rows, timely feeding of zucchini, as well as the fight against diseases or pests, if such a need arises. Sometimes, if the flowering of zucchini has already begun, and there are no bees in the garden, you have to help the plants to pollinate: you need to pick a male flower (there is no ovary on its reverse side), remove the petals from it and mark the stamens in open female flowers with a bare pistil. One male flower can pollinate 2-3 female ones. In addition, it is necessary to remove ready-to-eat fruits on time.
Watering zucchini
Watering zucchini is carried out in the evening with water well warmed up in the sun. In hot weather, before the leaves of zucchini close up, watering the beds should be daily, and after the leaves cover the soil, they switch to watering once every five to six days, if the weather is cool and cloudy, and once every 2 -3 days if it's hot. You need to pour water under the root, and so that ripening zucchini do not rot, put something under them that does not get wet - a board, a piece of slate. If the leaves on the zucchini become sluggish from the heat, they are watered in the evening through a nozzle with small holes.
Top dressing of zucchini
Zucchini love organic. Here is the cooking recipe herbal infusion for zucchini seedlings planted in the ground: after weeding or mowing the weeds, fill the barrel with them almost to the top, add water and, stirring the contents daily, let it brew for a week, then strain, dilute with water in a ratio of 1:8 and water the zucchini two weeks after transplanting in open ground, trying to ensure that the infusion does not fall on either the leaves or the stems. A week later, the seedlings are re-fertilized with herbal infusion.
And you can alternate “green” top dressing with fertilizer of squash with slurry: manure is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, insisted on the sun for three days, and then the soil around the root of the plant is watered with this composition, protecting from getting slurry on the leaves and stems of plants. The third time it is advisable to fertilize when the ovaries begin to appear: a tablespoon of double superphosphate and a glass of sifted wood ash are added to 10 liters of herbal or manure fertilizer. However, before fertilizing zucchini, it is advisable to water the site.
Zucchini processing
It can be very disappointing when the crop in your garden or vegetable garden disappears due to the fact that the plants are affected by some kind of disease or pests. To avoid such surprises, gardeners and gardeners resort to preventive treatment of plants with drugs that can prevent insect attacks or death from the disease. How to process zucchini from probable diseases and pests, And what preparations are better for this purpose to use?
Against fungal diseases, zucchini, a week after planting in the ground, is treated with a one percent solution of Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride, and against pests - with Karbofos. In addition, in the fall, after harvesting and disposing of plant residues, the site is deeply dug up and, observing crop rotation, prepare it for another crop.
Pests and diseases of squash
However, despite preventive measures and proper care, sometimes zucchini still get sick. In order for the fight against zucchini diseases to be successful, you need to know what hurts zucchini, And What pests can affect your crop? Of the insects, cucurbits most often infect aphids and whiteflies. Slugs can also cause problems for zucchini.
melon aphid appears on squash in wet and warm weather. It sucks juices from the ground parts of plants, damaging the stems, leaves, flowers and ovaries. Of the folk ways to combat aphids, a triple treatment of zucchini with an interval of a week with a solution of 300 g of soap or liquid dishwashing detergent in 10 liters of water gives a good result. If this measure does not give the desired result, you will have to resort to treating zucchini with insecticides - Karbofos, Phosphamide, Decis, Metaphos, although this is undesirable.
whiteflies can cause serious damage to the garden. Their greatest number is observed in the second half of summer. They settle on the underside of the leaves, and traces of their vital activity - sticky sugary secretions - become an environment for the development of sooty fungi, from which black marks appear on the plants, subsequently leading to leaf wilt. The easiest way is to wash the whiteflies from the leaves with water, after which it is necessary to loosen the soil around the bushes to a depth of 2 cm. If this method of pest control does not work, you will have to resort to treating the zucchini with a solution of the insecticide Commander in the ratio of 1 g of the drug per 10 liters of water. This amount should be enough for 100 m². Spray the zucchini after picking the fruit.
Slugs they are collected by hand, and if there are too many of them, baits are placed around the site: dark beer is poured into the bowls and, when the slugs crawl to the smell, they are collected.
Of the diseases for zucchini, powdery mildew is the most dangerous, as well as bacteriosis, white and root rot, black mold and anthracnose.
powdery mildew covers the ground parts of plants with a grayish-white loose bloom, which eventually becomes brown, the leaves dry under it, the fruits are deformed and stop growing. The disease develops in conditions of sharp fluctuations in humidity and air temperature. At the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to treat the area with a ten percent solution of fungicides - Topsin or Bayleton. After two weeks, if necessary, the treatment is repeated.
Symptoms black mold look like angular or rounded rusty spots on the leaves of zucchini, on which, over time, appears dark patina with fungal spores. Parts of the leaf plate under the spots dry out and crumble, leaving holes in the leaves. The fruits shrivel and stop developing. Sick plants must be immediately removed and burned, and after harvesting, all plant residues are removed from the site.
bacteriosis – infection, manifested by oily spots on the leaves, which gradually darken, and in these places the integrity of the foliage of the plate is violated. Watery spots and ulcers form on the fruits. Most often, the disease affects plants in wet, warm weather. A measure to combat the disease is the treatment of plants with one percent Bordeaux liquid.
white rot, or sclerotinia, covers parts of the plant with mycelium - a dense white coating, under which they become soft and slippery, and then hard and black tubercles form in these places, the leaves dry out, the plants wither. Usually the disease affects too dense plantings of squash in cold, wet weather. Sick plants are removed immediately. You can treat the zucchini with a fungicide, but this is unlikely to help.
root rot- a disease from which zucchini turn yellow, their lower leaves wither, the stems turn brown and turn into a washcloth in the lower part. This usually happens due to planting plants in unheated soil, watering cold water or overnutrition of plants. Eliminate deficiencies in care and treat zucchini with copper-containing preparations.
Anthracnose looks like rounded, yellow-brown spots on the leaves, turning into holes when dried. Leaves curl, zucchini dry, all terrestrial parts of plants are affected. Most often, the disease attacks zucchini in rainy hot weather. You can defeat the disease by resorting to the treatment of plants with one percent Bordeaux liquid or dusting with ground sulfur at the rate of 15-30 g per 10 m² of planting.
Collection and storage of zucchini
Zucchini are harvested as they ripen, that is, the first zucchini ripen enough for food already one and a half to two months after sowing. Actually, zucchini, like cucumbers, is harvested by unripe greens that have reached a length of 15-25 cm, while the seeds inside the fruit are small and tender. Picking not quite ripe fruits stimulates the formation and rapid growth of new squash. However, if you decide to put zucchini in winter storage, then you need to collect ripe fruits with a hard, thick crust.
The fruits are cut with a pruner or a knife along the stem. Young zucchini, intended for immediate use or canning, are cut off at the very base, and on mature fruits that you are going to store, the stalks should be long, with an even cut, because the shaggy ends of the stalks quickly deteriorate, affecting the entire fruit with rot.
Young zucchini of milky ripeness can be stored at a temperature of 0 to 2 ºC for two weeks - then they begin to fade or coarsen, and sometimes rot. Ripe zucchini is stored for up to five months, like pumpkins - in a dry, cool room with good ventilation. Do not lower them into the cellar, as there is usually high humidity, which stimulates the development of putrefactive processes, especially if there is damage in the fetal cortex. Put the zucchini in a box lined with straw or pine sawdust so that the fruits do not touch each other. For reliability, the stalk of each vegetable is dipped in molten paraffin - this measure guarantees more long term storage of zucchini.
If you don't have utility room, in which zucchini can be stored, place them in the apartment in a dry and dark place, for example, roll them under the bed or place them near the door to the balcony. Zucchini also keeps well in the refrigerator if placed in plastic bags perforated and fold into the vegetable section.
At proper storage zucchini can lie until the next harvest, but already in March, their seeds begin to germinate inside, and the flesh acquires a bitter taste.
Types and varieties of zucchini
Zucchini are divided into zucchini and white-fruited (ordinary) zucchini. Zucchini has strongly dissected leaves, often with white spots near the veins that are not experienced gardeners may be mistaken for symptoms. powdery mildew. The fruits of zucchini are more diverse in color than white-fruited zucchini: yellow or green shades of different intensity.
Zucchini includes, for example, varieties: Black handsome, Astoria, Aeronaut, Gray, Yellow-fruited, Caserta, Marquise, Zebra, Tsukesha, Negritenek, as well as hybrids Jan, Golda, Vanyusha, Jade, Diamant, Defender, Candela and Masha. White-fruited marrows are represented by varieties Anchor, Roller, Spaghetti, Belogor, Gribovsky 37, as well as hybrids Cavili and Sangrum.
According to the shape of the bush, zucchini are divided into bush and semi-bush, forming a short whip, and according to the shape of the fruit, zucchini are usually oblong or round, although varieties with fruits of other shapes are known.
In terms of ripening, zucchini are early, mid-ripening and late-ripening.
In addition to many varieties of zucchini, there are also their hybrids, bred mainly by foreign breeders. The advantage of imported hybrids can be considered a thinner skin and a smaller seed chamber of the fruit. In addition, they can stay on the bushes longer without overripe, and the presentation of imported varieties is better. However, domestic varieties are more suitable for canning, and the frost resistance of our zucchini is higher.
We present you the best varieties of zucchini of domestic and foreign selection, which will surely arouse your interest:
- Aeronaut- This is a bushy, compact zucchini with a small number of lashes. The flowers are mostly female, the fruits are smooth, thin-skinned, dark green with white or light green spots, cylindrical, with creamy, slightly sweet pulp. The yield of this variety is high, as is its popularity among gardeners. It can be grown both in greenhouses and outdoors. Zucchini of this variety are suitable for cooking and canning;
- White- unpretentious, early ripening, productive variety, ripening in 35-40 days with oval fruits of almost white color, medium size, with dense and very juicy light cream pulp. The variety is suitable for cooking, canning, pickling and long-term storage;
- yellow-fruited– early high-yielding bush zucchini for cultivation in open ground with slightly ribbed yellow cylindrical fruits of universal purpose with a high content of carotene, which makes them indispensable for baby and diet food;
- Zebra- also an early, cold-resistant bush zucchini, compact, with a short main shoot, with slightly ribbed cylindrical fruits of light green color with wide longitudinal dark green stripes and yellowish, juicy, not very sweet pulp. This one of the highest yielding varieties is suitable for both food and canning;
- sangrum- an early bush hybrid for open ground with a large amount of sugars in whitish-green fruits of a cylindrical shape;
- Helena- early uniple bush variety with smooth, cylindrical fruits of even golden color with yellow flesh. It is suitable both for cooking, and for canning and pickling;
- Black handsome- high-yielding compact bush variety of zucchini for open ground with a long fruiting period. The fruits are so dark green that they look black, their flesh is white, dense, tender and unsweetened. The variety is used for cooking and canning;
- Negro- an early high-yielding variety of zucchini for open ground with black-green fruits with juicy, tasty green flesh. The variety is resistant to powdery mildew;
- Kavili- bush, ultra-early, very productive hybrid of a long fruiting period with straight, greenish cylindrical fruits with white pulp of a delicate taste. The variety is suitable for growing both in open ground and in a greenhouse, resistant to powdery mildew;
- Kuand- bush and semi-bush mid-season high-yielding zucchini for open ground and film greenhouses with cylindrical fruits of pale green color with intermittent stripes. The variety is resistant to rot and powdery mildew;
- Gribovsky 37- a strongly branching mid-season bush for open ground with ribbed short-cylindrical light green fruits with a hard bark in the stalk area. A time-tested, all-purpose grade;
- group of spaghetti zucchini- completely unusual zucchini with pulp, which, after thirty minutes of cooking the whole fruit, turns into a dish of dense thin flagella, resembling Italian pasta. The most famous variety is Raviolo with cylindrical yellow fruits.
If you are concerned not only with the taste of zucchini, but also with the degree of their decorative effect, you should pay attention to varieties such as Zheltoplodny, Yellow Banana, Zolotinka, Goldena, Miracle Orange, Zebra, Winter Delicious, Tapir, as well as Zephyr and Festivalnaya hybrids - these zucchini are distinguished by their elegant coloring of fruits that will decorate your garden.
For zucchini lovers unusual shape Pear-shaped, Mystery club-shaped, as well as varieties with round fruits Myachik, Mother-in-law, Tintoretto, Ronde de Nice and hybrids Hospitable, Cook, and Botsman will be interesting. The round fruits of the Watermelon variety are also attractive, which outwardly almost do not differ from this gourd, as well as the giant marrows of the Amazing Giant variety, reaching a weight of 10 kg with a meter length, in addition, they can be stored for up to two years. The fruits of the Bicolor Miracle variety are painted in two colors with a clear border between them, and the squash of the Ascension variety have such a bizarre shape, as if they were bent by the hands of a sculptor.
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