The gardener does not grow zucchini in his summer cottage for only two reasons: either he does not like the taste of this vegetable, or he, in general, does not grow anything on his plot. In all other cases, zucchini simply needs to be grown in a summer cottage. This vegetable not only has a huge number of useful properties, but also does not require special attention. There are quite a few varieties of zucchini, but we will talk about Orange zucchini.
Characteristic of the variety
Zucchini Orange F1 refers to early hybrid varieties.
The bushes of this variety of zucchini are quite compact and powerful. They form many ovaries of medium size. But not precocity and compact bushes distinguish this variety from others.
Zucchini Orange has become very popular due to the unusual shape of its fruits. Unlike the elongated zucchini that have become boring to us, the fruits of the Orange have a rounded shape. In addition to this form, there is an unusual color of the fruit – bright orange. It is thanks to this combination of shape and color that this variety of zucchini got its name. But this is where the similarity between the fruits of this variety and oranges ends. After all, it is quite difficult to imagine an orange with a diameter of 15-17 centimeters.
Zucchini variety Orange has a very tender and juicy pulp. It tastes slightly sweet with a pleasant aftertaste reminiscent of a nut. Due to its rounded shape and small size, Orange zucchini can be successfully used for stuffing, and the smallest zucchini can be preserved whole.
This feature allows you to use them as an ingredient for all kinds of salads and cold appetizers.
Orange zucchini can be planted on unprotected beds, in greenhouses and shelters.
Recommendations for growing
There are two ways to plant orange zucchini:
- Seeds immediately to the garden – with this method, planting is carried out no earlier than the first half of May, when the threat of sudden frosts has passed.
- Seedling method – it is necessary to plant seeds for seedlings 25 – 30 days before planting in a permanent place.
How to plant zucchini seeds in open ground can be found in the video:
At this temperature, Orange seeds will germinate for 6-7 days. At temperatures below +10 degrees, the seeds may not germinate at all or germinate partially.
Like other zucchini, the Apelsika variety is especially sensitive to the composition of the soil. It is recommended to plant it on fertile or medium loamy lands. On other soils, Orange will also be able to grow, but the harvest will be much poorer.
Despite the compact size of the bushes, seeds or seedlings of this variety should be planted according to the scheme of 80×70 centimeters. This distance will allow zucchini plants to evenly use soil resources.
Care for seedlings and young plants of Orange squash includes the following steps:
- Watering – only warm water heated in the sun is used for irrigation. Watering with cold water can provoke the death of the root system of zucchini. Watering the bushes of this vegetable crop should only be at the root, avoiding water on the foliage and ovary. The regularity of watering is determined quite simply – if the topsoil has dried to a depth of 1 centimeter, then the plants should be watered. You can reduce the frequency of watering by mulching the soil with straw.. This technique will help retain moisture in the soil and prevent it from drying out.
- Fertilizer – for the entire growth period, it is recommended to make 3 top dressings: before flowering, during flowering and during fruit formation. For top dressing, you can use both mineral and organic fertilizers. In this case, all dressings are made only under the root and only after the main watering.
- Loosening and weeding – if weeding can be done once a month, then loosening the topsoil should be done after each watering. This will saturate the earth with air and prevent the formation of a crust on the earth.
For such simple care, Orange plants will respond with a bountiful harvest, which will not only bring many benefits to the body, but also decorate any table.