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Relatively recently – about 25-30 years ago, only the white-fruited variety of zucchini was grown in domestic gardens and orchards. But now they have been seriously supplanted by another – zucchini. This vegetable also belongs to the pumpkin family, is a zucchini, but somewhat improved, first of all, by Italian breeders, and later by scientists and gardeners of those countries where it began to be actively grown. Zucchini is rapidly gaining popularity due to its original properties and qualities. Among them there are extremely useful and remarkable, most of which will be discussed in detail below.
Zucchini zucchini – description and properties
Zucchini squash is a type of ordinary pumpkin, has a bushy structure and relatively large cylindrical fruits, usually green or its various shades of color. Zucchini squash is an annual plant, quite unpretentious when grown, however, slightly more demanding than regular squash.
The name of the vegetable comes from the Italian “zucchini”, which, loosely translated, literally means “small or small pumpkin”. Zucchini got its properties in Italy, although originally, like all zucchini, it comes from Central America, and specifically from Mexico.
Zucchini squash has many of the same properties as traditional zucchini, but it also has distinct differences that make it an “improved” variant of zucchini:
- a more compact form of a plant that takes up less space in a garden or vegetable garden;
- a more delicate taste that allows you to eat fruits even raw without heat treatment, which is impossible in the case of zucchini;
- as a rule, bright color of fruits in the range from clearly defined dark green to golden, as well as options with a striped color;
- early, in comparison with ordinary zucchini, fruiting terms and a significantly higher yield (2-4 times);
- low calorie content and high palatability of zucchini fruits, making them one of the essential components of many different diets.
The differences between ordinary white-fruited zucchini and zucchini squash are far from exhausted by the above examples, but a general conclusion can be drawn already now: zucchini squash is one of the most attractive varieties of this vegetable, their rapid spread and growing popularity among domestic gardeners is by no means accidental.
Features of growing zucchini
Zucchini squash is somewhat more demanding than regular squash. For their cultivation, it is necessary to select the following sites:
- well lit or with diffused sunlight;
- with loose sandy soil, which has a normal acidity index (such soils are preferred for all pumpkin).
Soil preparation and planting
When preparing the soil and planting, the following important agrotechnical points should be considered:
- it is better to start preparing the soil for zucchini squash in the fall, by digging up the area planned for spring planting with the addition of organic (rotted manure) and mineral (superphosphate) fertilizers. If necessary, reduce the acidity of the soil, wood ash is added;
- zucchini squash is usually planted after its predecessors, the best of which are legumes, nightshade (primarily tomatoes) and cabbage. Planting after pumpkin plants is not recommended to avoid various diseases;
- before planting, the soil is dug up again, additional fertilizers can be applied and the soil is disinfected (respectively, ammonium nitrate and potassium permanganate solution);
- zucchini zucchini seeds are planted directly into the ground, even in central Our Country. Existing varieties have time to ripen quite well. Planting takes place in mid-May. It is possible to plant film coatings in closed conditions;
The process of planting seeds is as follows:
- a hole is dug in which a small amount of soil, wood ash and humus are mixed;
- pre-treated hatched seeds (two or three) are placed in the prepared hole. After germination, weak sprouts are removed, only one remains, the strongest and most developed. This is necessary, as the vegetable needs enough space;
- for the same reason, the next hole is made at a distance of at least 0,5 m;
- seed planting depth – about 7 cm, in heavy and dense soils – 4 cm;
- after leveling the soil, mulching is performed.
In the case of using the seedling method, 25-30-day-old seedlings are used for planting. In this case, cups are used for maximum protection of the roots in order to optimally engraft the sprouts. In this case, landing is made at the end of May – the first ten days of June;
Most gardeners prefer to plant zucchini in high beds, which allows them to receive more heat and speed up the development process.
Zucchini care
Despite the fact that zucchini is more demanding on growing conditions than ordinary zucchini, nevertheless, caring for them is quite simple and easy.
It mainly consists of weeding, slight loosening of the soil and, above all, during flowering and fruit formation, watering the plant.
Also at this time it is quite possible to fertilize with a small amount of liquid mineral fertilizers (phosphorus-potassium), a little earlier – before flowering – add liquid mullein. This is not mandatory, but will slightly increase the yield of the vegetable.
One way to grow pumpkin crops, in particular zucchini, is shown in the video:
Collection and storage of fruits
There are several stages of fruit maturity of the vegetable in question.
If it is consumed fresh, the fruits are plucked approximately when they reach a weight of not more than 0,5 kg at the stage of “milky” maturity. The next stage – technical maturity – occurs when the fruits are ripe, but the seeds are not fully ripe. In this case, zucchini is suitable for culinary processing, as well as further storage.
If seeds are to be obtained, the fruit must be fully ripe. This usually happens when the lashes turn yellow and the stem dries out.
Top Grades
A variety of varieties of zucchini zucchini are suitable for growing in domestic conditions.
Aeronaut
Like most relatives, it has a compact bush structure with a small number of emerging lashes. Aeronaut belongs to early ripe varieties, can be grown in any type of soil, both closed and open. Sufficiently productive (7 kg / sq. M) variety, is universal, as it is suitable for food in any form. The fruits have a characteristic dark green color, sometimes they have a pattern in the form of small light green dots. The size of the fetus is quite large, it can reach a mass of 1,3 kg. The variety is rightfully considered one of the most popular in Our Country, which is achieved by a combination of taste characteristics, productivity and unpretentiousness during cultivation.
Cukesha
The variety has, in addition to a remarkable and funny name, several more undoubted advantages. These include:
- high yield (12 kg per bush);
- versatility (can be used fresh, after heat treatment, suitable for pickling and canning);
- the ability to retain taste and not coarsen in case of overgrowth (convenient for gardeners who visit the site only on weekends);
- long-term storage capacity.
In addition, Tsukesha belongs to early ripening varieties, adapted to growing in open ground, but it also allows closed ground, fruit weight rarely exceeds 1 kg.
Zebra
Due to its extremely original fruit color, the Zebra variety is one of the most famous among gardeners. But the coloring of the dignity of the variety is far from exhausted. It is quite productive (9 kg/sq. m.), early ripening (the first harvest is already after 38 days), has fruits of classical shape in the form of a cylinder, with a slightly ribbed surface structure. The fruits themselves rarely exceed 0,6-0,7 kg in weight and are remembered by everyone, of course, by the characteristic pattern inherent in this variety, which consists of alternating stripes of dark and light green.
Sir
The zucchini variety has gained popularity due to its high yield. In addition, it belongs to the early ripening (harvest – on the 35th day), has a compact bush structure, as well as small fruit sizes, which rarely exceed 0,6-0,7 kg. The variety has an original color and a ribbed surface structure of the fruit.
Zolotinka
The name of the variety perfectly reflects its main external feature – a wonderful pronounced golden color. It is an early ripe variety, has fruits of the correct oval shape, relatively small in size. It belongs to high-yielding varieties, usually a bush brings up to 15 fruits, the average weight of which is about 0,5 kg. Individual fruits grow up to 1 kg or more. It can be grown both indoors and outdoors.
Conclusion
The best varieties of zucchini squash will not only allow you to get a great harvest, but also achieve this without undue effort and time. Many prepared various dishes will be a worthy reward for gardeners who decide to grow such a remarkable and original vegetable.