Planting zucchini in open ground with seeds and seedlings

Varieties of zucchini for open ground

It seems that all zucchini are the same, but they are not. Modern varieties have, at times, significant differences.

By color. The classic varieties of zucchini are white and green (aka zucchini). And, of course, they have differences.

White zucchini has a coarser skin and a bland taste. The fruits quickly outgrow, but can reach huge sizes. And they are stored for a long time in winter – they lie perfectly until February. Therefore, you will be able to consume the harvest not only in summer, but also stock up for the winter.

Only ripened zucchini are stored well. By the time they ripen, they acquire large sizes and a slightly pumpkin flavor. But they do get better. And you can use them in the same way as young ones – make pancakes, cook mashed soups, stew with vegetables and meat. The same zucchini can be marinated for the winter. Moreover, they are convenient in that they do not require instant processing – you can collect the fruits in August and put them in the apartment. And when the peak of the harvest season is over, start processing them.

The most productive varieties of white-fruited zucchini are Belogor (up to 14,3 kg), Sudar (up to 12 kg), Hugo (5 – 10,3 kg) (12,2).

In zucchini, the skin is tender, the flesh is more oily, melts in your mouth. And they are usually smaller, and do not outgrow as quickly. So if you need zucchini exclusively for summer consumption, plant zucchini. But choose productive varieties. Some of them give only 3 – 5 kg of fruit per 1 sq. m, while others are able to increase up to 12 kg. In 2 – 3 times more, and some up to 25 kg, therefore, the bushes can be planted less and it will be easier to care for.

The most productive zucchini are Kuand (20 – 25 kg), Ardendo 174 (up to 15 kg), Tsukesha (5 – 11 kg), Octopus (up to 12 kg), Aral (up to 10 kg) (10).

There are also colored zucchini – yellow, orange, blue and two-tone. They are very beautiful, but their seeds are often more expensive and the yield is lower. For example, a very beautiful two-color zucchini Delicate marshmallow (it has 2/3 of the fruit is yellow, and 1/3 is green) costs about 100 rubles. There are only 6 seeds in a bag. And zucchini Drakosha – 25 rubles per 2 g (about 15 pieces). In general, this is more of an entertainment from the “surprise your neighbor” series. If you need zucchini to stock up on the harvest, as a help to the family budget, it is better to choose white or zucchini.

By the length of the lashes. Most zucchini have a compact bushy shape, but not all. You can easily buy a variety with a trick – it will spread like a pumpkin and take up a huge area. Such a luxury is not affordable in small areas.

Varieties with long lashes – Culinary, Hare’s Ear, Spaghetti Raviolo, Winter.

By maturity. Are you familiar with the situation when households begin to grumble, demanding to diversify the menu, because the zucchini was cooked in all forms and is already pretty tired? And this is all because gardeners often plant one variety. Or different, but all of the same ripening period (most zucchini are early). And in this case, even 2 – 3 bushes can overwhelm you with fruits.

To prevent this from happening, plant varieties with different ripening periods:

• super early – 28 – 40 days (Rolik, Hugo);
• early – 41 – 45 days (Belogor, Kavili, Baby, Sudar, Black handsome, Zebra);
• medium early – 46 – 51 days (Gribovskie 37);
• mid-season – 52 – 61 days (Spaghetti Raviolo, Tsukesha, Supremo, Kuand);
• late – 100 – 110 days (Winter).

If you plant, for example, 1 bush of an ultra-early variety, and one at a time – mid-season and late, then you will breed the crop in time and will be with zucchini all summer.

The scheme of planting zucchini in open ground with seeds

Zucchini are sown in open ground in holes of 3-4 seeds each (2) to a depth of 5 cm. When shoots appear, they are pulled through – only one strongest sprout should remain in the hole.

The sowing scheme depends on the form of the plant:

• bush varieties – 70×70 cm;
• climbing varieties – 150×150 cm.

The scheme of planting zucchini in open ground seedlings

For planting seedlings of zucchini, the same schemes are used as when sowing seeds in open ground.

Growing zucchini in open ground

Even compact bush varieties of zucchini take up quite a lot of space. What if the area is small? It’s not scary. The unpretentiousness of zucchini allows you to stick them in places where you can’t plant other vegetables. At the same time, they can give not only a harvest, but also become an additional design element.

Here are a few options for planting zucchini.

In place of faded bulbs. Tulips, daffodils, crocuses and hyacinths are good in April-May, at the time of flowering. And then they go to rest, their leaves gradually dry out and bald spots form in the area where they are planted. And this is the perfect place for zucchini! Their roots are compact, they will not harm the bulbs, and massive bushes with large leaves (they are also carved in zucchini) will hide the empty space.

In the greenhouse to tomatoes or cucumbers. Indoors, cucumbers and tall tomatoes are tied up. And the lower leaves are cut off from them – this is the technology. As a result, the lower tier is free, light penetrates there well. So, you can plant zucchini there. Of course, bush varieties.

To the flower garden. Rarely does anyone have a densely planted flower garden, often there are empty places. For example, some plants did not survive the winter, or they were planted last year. And such voids are also great for zucchini – they not only do not interfere with flowers, but also complement the composition.

In the coniferous garden. Tui and junipers grow over time. But if they are only planted, and they are planted immediately at a fairly decent distance from each other, then there is a lot of empty space between them. So take this space with zucchini. And the garden will not be so deserted, and you will get a harvest.

In pots and buckets. If there is no free land at all on the site, zucchini can be planted in buckets or large pots (10 l). And they can be put anywhere – on the porch, the blind area of ​​the house, on the lawn, near the bathhouse or pool. They will become an additional decoration of the site and they can also mask unsightly technical places.

The same method can be used if you don’t have a dacha at all – zucchini grows well in pots on the balcony.

On the compost heap. Many summer residents make their own fertilizer, and a compost heap is not the most beautiful building. But it can be masked with zucchini. This culture is very responsive to organics, so they will like it in compost. And you will benefit.

Prevention of diseases of zucchini in the open field

In general, zucchini is rarely affected by diseases, but this can happen in a rainy, cool summer. To avoid problems, it is useful to mulch the beds with hay – when it begins to decompose in the soil (this happens quite quickly), hay bacillus begins to actively multiply in it, which secretes a natural antibiotic – subtillin. And it suppresses the development of most pathogens.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about growing zucchini with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.

Sources of

1. State Register of Breeding Achievements

   https://reestr.gossortrf.ru/

2. Fisenko A.N., Serpukhovitina K.A., Stolyarov A.I. Garden. Handbook // Rostov-on-Don, Rostov University Press, 1994 – 416 p.