Growing zucchini: planting, care, features

Immediately, we note that there are a large number of varieties of zucchini. In particular, the popular varieties of this vegetable include:

• early ripe: Anna, Aeronaut, White Swan, Zebra, Zolotinka, Kavili;
• mid-season: Black Beauty, Jade and Macaroni;
• late ripening: Long-fruited and Walnut.

Let’s clarify that zucchini zucchini in their cultivation and care features practically do not differ from ordinary ones. Zucchini includes varieties such as Zebra, Aeronaut and Tsukesha.

We have already written about how to grow zucchini seedlings at home, as well as how to handle the seeds in order to get a good harvest. Therefore, we will focus directly on planting zucchini with seeds or seedlings on the site.

It is recommended to plant zucchini every year in different parts of the garden; it will be possible to return to its original place only after three years. This alternation of planting sites will avoid plant diseases. Recall that zucchini is a type of pumpkin, therefore, after it, it is not recommended to plant a plant in the same place..

Zucchini love open and sunny spaces, the more light there is, the faster you will harvest. Zucchini prefers fertile soils, enriched with humus. It is best to fill the area for zucchini with organic matter in the fall. If you have not done this, then in the spring you should add compost, wood ash (a little, do not overdo it) and superphosphate to the site.

It is recommended to plant zucchini in the middle lane in early June, but in warmer climates, you can start planting in mid-May. Zucchini take up a lot of space, so there should be a distance of at least 70 centimeters between individual plants. Seedlings are planted in holes of suitable size along with soil from pots, and holes are prepared for seeds no more than two to three centimeters deep. Before planting, the soil in the hole must be watered.

After four to five new leaves appear in the zucchini, additional fertilization can be applied to stimulate the growth of the plant. It is advisable to mulch a garden with zucchini, because this will avoid problems with weeds that may appear until the plant has grown. In addition, the soil will not dry out so quickly under the mulch..

Important! Zucchini must be watered directly under the root, with warm water. Do not spray from a hose onto the wide leaves of zucchini, this will not bring any benefit, and as the fruit ripens, it can cause them to rot.

It is recommended to fertilize zucchini with fertilizers also during flowering and before fruit ovary. You will have to water regularly, at least once a week, even if the soil is mulched, the plant needs moisture and its absence will immediately affect the yield. Large leaves, under which the ovary can be hidden, experts advise to break off so that new fruits appear more often.

It is also very important to harvest on time. Zucchini are considered ripe, which have reached 15 cm. Growth of more than 20 centimeters should not be allowed, because zucchini lose their taste, large seeds appear. So it is better to go around the beds every morning and collect young zucchini. Timely harvesting will also encourage the emergence of new ovaries. The first crop usually ripens 35-45 days after planting.

By the way, in Europe, zucchini flowers are considered a delicacy, they can be fried in batter, stuffed with other vegetables or minced meat. So you can start harvesting even before the fruits appear to pamper yourself, family and guests with an exotic dish..

Zucchini is stored for a long time, preferably in the basement or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Zucchini contains a lot of vitamins A, C, B, there is potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron. Unsurprisingly, this vegetable is widely used in baby and diet food. There are a great many recipes for zucchini dishes. The most popular, familiar to everyone from childhood, is fried zucchini rings with garlic, sour cream or mayonnaise.

Zucchini caviar is also very popular and can be rolled up in jars for use in winter. But the most delicious caviar is fresh, just cooked.

Another way of eating zucchini is pickling. The delicate vegetable can be pickled very quickly and will be ready to eat almost immediately. Also, zucchini is closed in jars for the winter in a pickled form, there are also many recipes for such a blockage, you can definitely choose to your taste.

As for the harvesting of the zucchini vines, this stage begins after the collection of the last fruits, when the leaves and shoots are already beginning to dry out..