Description
Cucurbita pepo
Belongs to the pumpkin family. Zucchini can be grown from direct sowing to the place of growth or the plants can be grown in advance. Since zucchini is a very heat-loving plant, I definitely recommend growing the plants in advance. At the beginning of May, sow the seeds in a pot with a diameter of 8-10 cm to a depth of 2-3 cm (if sowing in open ground, then to a depth of 3-4 cm). Germination temperature above 20*C (in open ground, the soil must be at least 14*C at a depth of 10 cm). Increases will appear in about a week. The growing time from emergence to planting in the place of growth is 20-25 days. Depending on the weather, it can be planted in open ground from the end of May to the beginning of June, when the plants have developed 2-3 proper true leaves. Plant with the root ball because zucchini, like other cucurbits, cannot tolerate root damage when transplanting. Make sure that the temperature remains in the range of 20…24*C during the seedling period of the plants. Plant pre-hardened plants on the growth site and initially cover them with a cover veil (in cool weather, you can keep the cover veil on until the beginning of flowering). When planting, leave a space of at least 75x75cm per plant. Choose a light-filled, sunny, sheltered place from the wind for the zucchini. The soil must be rich in humus and nutrients, lighter, not acidic. He likes fertilizing with manure. Zucchini also loves moisture, so water regularly in dry weather, do not water with cold tap or well water, but still lukewarm, stagnant water. Water the plants in the morning hours, then they will have time to dry during the day and the risk of getting sick with rot and powdery mildew will decrease. Young, 7-12 day old fruits are best for food. Young fruits are not peeled. Fruits should be picked regularly, at intervals of 2-5 days, even during the peak season. Frequent fruit picking also encourages the plant to form new fruits. If the bush has too many leaves, carefully remove some leaves from the inside of the bush. Fruits until frost.
