Seedlings of zucchini: how to properly grow it in an urban environment. When to plant zucchini for seedlings? Seedlings of zucchini at home When to plant zucchini in
Among the most popular vegetables grown in the garden, zucchini is worth mentioning separately. They are unpretentious, contain many useful elements and vitamins, you can cook a lot of very tasty dishes from them, make preparations for the winter with them. The composition of these vegetables includes phosphorus and iron, potassium and magnesium, calcium. With the right care, zucchini will delight their owners with an excellent harvest, even if they are new to growing them.
Terms of planting zucchini for seedlings in 2017
If you live in the southern regions of the country, then you can plant germinated or dry zucchini seeds directly into the ground. However, if you want to start harvesting as early as possible, then it is better to sow seeds for seedlings in advance - at home or in a greenhouse. You can not plant all the seeds at once, but divide the plantings into intervals of ten days. Then you will have young zucchini with thin skin throughout the summer and early autumn. The time for planting zucchini for seedlings must be calculated so that planting in the ground is possible in the last days of May or early June. You can, of course, land earlier, but then, most likely, they will have to be covered with a film.
You should know that zucchini, however, like other pumpkins, do not respond very well to transplantation, they do not tolerate well when they are disturbed at the time of growth. Therefore, seedlings should be transplanted very carefully, and adult plants in general are better not to be moved anywhere from their place of constant growth. Zucchini can be planted in open ground in May, covering them with a film.
If you first plant zucchini for seedlings, then its age is usually 25-30 days. If the plants are overexposed, they will become very stretched and outgrow. More weakened plants will find it much more difficult to take root in a place of constant growth. If you follow the lunar calendar, then in 2017 it is recommended to plant on March 3-4, 7, 8, 9 and 12-13, in April you can plant from 3 to 5 and from 8 to 9, in May the numbers 1, 2, 6 are suitable and 30.
Zucchini seeds begin to prepare a month before planting in the ground. Seedlings ready for transplanting into the ground should have a couple of true leaves by this time. Planting zucchini for seedlings should be carried out depending on the region, on average, this is the period from mid-March to May 15. Focus on the climate of your region of residence. Seedlings of young zucchini will not be able to endure frosts even at minus one. So it will be possible to transplant it only after the threat of frost has passed. In the middle lane, this usually happens after May 25th. If frosts, nevertheless, are planned, then the seedlings will need to be covered either with non-woven material, or with a film or plastic bottles.
Planting seeds
The first step is to germinate the seeds. This is optional, but desirable, as it will improve the quality of the seedlings and increase the number of seedlings. Seeds should be treated in weak potassium permanganate for twenty minutes. After that, the zucchini seeds should be put on a saucer, covered with damp gauze and placed in a warm place. You can also cover the saucer with a plastic bag to prevent excessive drying. After a couple of days, the seeds will begin to sprout. Seeds should be planted in separate containers, it is best to take peat cups for this. This will avoid damage to the root system of young zucchini during transplantation. It is very important to keep the thin roots intact at the time of planting in the ground, and this can be done by planting the seeds in peat pots.
Did you know that the well-known squash, grown on every continent except Antarctica, actually comes from Mexico. Interestingly, at first in Europe it was customary to eat only the seeds of this vegetable. It became so popular thanks to the Italians, who proved its indispensability for the most exquisite dishes. Not without reason, and today one of the best glamorous delicacies of French cuisine (Provence) is considered stuffed zucchini flowers.
You are able to get a full-fledged crop of your favorite and at the same time such an unpretentious vegetable, if you take into account as accurately as possible some of the features of planting zucchini seeds in the spring for seedlings and in open ground.
The optimal timing for planting zucchini in open ground or seedlings varies depending on where you live and, accordingly, its climatic features. So, in the Middle lane (Moscow region), squash should be sown in open ground in the second half of May, for seedlings - in the second half of April. In the Urals and Siberia in open ground - in early June, for seedlings - in early May. In the south, planting dates can be shifted by an average of 1 month ago, that is, to the second half of March for the seedling method and April-May for direct sowing into the ground.
Advice! When choosing the timing of planting zucchini, first of all, you need to pay attention to weather conditions: as soon as the threat of return spring frosts has passed, then you can sow. Either it is worth considering the use of covering material, or the creation of warm beds.
Like all pumpkins, the root system of zucchini seedlings is very vulnerable, so you should not over-detain seedlings in planting containers and grow huge ones, then they do not take root well due to damage to the microroots during planting. Therefore, seedlings should be planted in open ground for 20-30 days.
According to the lunar calendar in 2019
The lunar calendar will always come to your rescue if you want to know exactly when to plant.
So, in 2019, favorable days for planting zucchini for seedlings or immediately in open ground are:
- in February - 15-17, 23-25;
- in March - 15-19, 23-25, 27-30;
- in April - 6-9, 11-13, 20, 21, 24-26, 29-30;
- in May - 3, 4, 8-10, 17-18, 21-23, 26-28, 31;
- in June - 5, 6, 13-15, 18-20.
If you fail to plant zucchini exactly on the above dates, then do not be discouraged! The main thing is that the landing day is not among the unfavorable:
- in February - 4, 5, 19;
- in March - 6, 7, 21;
- in April - 5, 19;
- in May - 5, 19;
- in June - 3, 4, 17.
According to the lunar calendar from the magazine "1000 tips for summer residents."
Preparing seeds for planting
There are several ways to prepare zucchini seeds for planting.
For example, they can be warmed up by standing for 7 days in a sunny window or by leaving a bag on the battery overnight.
By the way! All pumpkins respond well to heat, and their developmental mechanisms start faster. .
A more standard way to treat squash seeds before planting is to soak(literally for 2-3 hours in the water) and the subsequent germination in a tissue or cloth bag. As a rule, the seeds will hatch, and the first sprouts will appear in 2-3 days. Everything is ready, seeds with roots can be planted in open ground or seedlings in a pot.
Important! Soak should be in well-settled water. Zucchini, like all pumpkin, do not tolerate chlorine.
On the other hand, many gardeners prefer not to carry out any preparatory procedures, but immediately plant zucchini seeds in the ground, and it doesn’t matter for seedlings or immediately for a garden bed.
By the way! You can find already processed squash seeds in garden stores. They, of course, must be planted in the ground in a dry form.
Growing seedlings of zucchini
Soil and containers for planting
Zucchini seedlings can be grown in small cups (minimum 0.2, preferably 0.5), or larger ones. If you plant seeds in 5 liter bottles, you will get a harvest 1-2 weeks earlier than when growing seedlings in small containers, because the root system develops better in such conditions, and the seedling is taken faster after planting in open ground.
As for the preparation of the soil mixture for growing seedlings of zucchini, then you choose. In general, both ready-made land for seedlings of vegetables, and prepared independently from several components, are suitable.
A few recipes for a suitable soil mixture:
- peat, compost, sod land and sawdust in a ratio of 6:2:2:1;
- leaf earth, humus, peat and sawdust - 2: 2: 1: 1;
- earth, sand and peat - 2:2:1;
- peat and sand - 1 to 1.
Video: the secrets of growing and early harvesting zucchini
Sowing seeds for seedlings
Step-by-step instructions for planting zucchini seeds for seedlings:
Video: sowing zucchini seeds for seedlings
Interesting! Pay attention to the method of planting and growing zucchini seedlings, presented in the video below. It's a little confusing, but quite original.
Video: growing seedlings of zucchini without land
Caring for zucchini seedlings
After planting, seedling containers must be placed on the sunniest window sill in the house, where the air temperature is kept in the range of + 18-23 degrees. As a rule, the first friendly shoots appear after 3-7 days (if you germinated, then earlier, and if not, then later).
If the daylight hours are still short or you do not have a south-facing window, then it is advisable to highlight the seedlings with the help of special fitolamps or the most common LED ones.
The main care for young seedlings of zucchini is watering as the soil dries up, as well as top dressing (if necessary).
If you see that the plant is not developing fast enough, although the basic conditions are met (light day and temperature), then the seedlings should be fed. For this, such a complex fertilizer as nitroammophoska (liquid solution - 10-15 grams per 10 liters of water) or any analogue is suitable.
You can determine the readiness of seedlings for planting in the garden by the appearance of 2 true leaves in it. This should just take 20 to 30 days.
A week before planting, it is imperative to harden the seedlings, gradually taking them out to the greenhouse or to the loggia (on day 1 - for 1 hour, on day 2 - for 2 hours, at 3 - for 4 hours, and so on). This is necessary due to the fact that any seedlings grown at home in the warmth must adapt to more severe external conditions.
Advice! It will not be superfluous to feed the seedlings of zucchini with potassium 3-4 days before planting in the garden.
Planting seedlings in open ground
The main thing that needs to be done when planting seedlings of zucchini in open ground is to properly prepare the hole.
The hole should be dug large enough. This is done so that you can fill the remaining space with high-quality humus, and put a small layer of earth on top. Now it remains only to make a small depression, carefully remove the squash seedling, put it together with an earthen clod in this hole and sprinkle with earth. The final touch is to pour plenty of water (somewhere around 6 liters of water per 1 seedling, but it is advisable to water in 2 doses). Sprinkle again with dry soil.
Advice! After planting, the landing site should be mulched with sawdust or some other material. Mulch will not allow the soil to dry out quickly and protect the still fragile roots of the seedling from the summer heat.
Additionally, to cover a young seedling, you can take a 5 liter bottle, with a cut-out bottom and wrapped with masking tape, and put it on a zucchini. This will protect it from wind and possible return frosts (in this case, the lid on the eggplant should be closed).
Video: how to plant zucchini
Sowing zucchini seeds in open ground
Place for beds and soil
It is advisable to choose a sunny place for planting zucchini, but so that, for example, at lunchtime it is covered with a shadow from a fence or trees. It is also desirable to find a site protected from the wind.
Remember! Pumpkin (zucchini) should not be planted together with other pumpkins.
When choosing a place to plant, it is also worth considering that it is impossible to plant zucchini in one place. It will be good if you plant these pumpkins in a place where the following vegetables used to grow: potatoes, onions, beets, carrots and cabbage, as well as legumes.
A week before planting, it is advisable to shed the bed with Baikal M-1 solution so that the soil is saturated with microbes.
To prepare a bed for zucchini, you should do the following:
- Loosen the top layer of the earth (for example, with a cultivator).
- Add manure to the bed. Pumpkins are very fond of fresh manure, which warms. Especially if the spring is cold and the earth has not warmed up enough. As an alternative, you can naturally use compost.
- Pour a small layer of earth on top.
Zucchini can also be planted on warm beds by placing arcs and pulling oilcloth over them.
A flower bed for growing zucchini (although this method is suitable for both zucchini and squash) can be made as follows:
Video: how to make a flower bed for growing zucchini
Video: the result of growing zucchini in such a flower bed
An equally interesting and environmentally friendly way to grow zucchini is to plant them on nettles, which you can see in more detail in the following video:
Sowing in the ground
Step-by-step instructions for sowing zucchini seeds in open ground:
Video: how to properly prepare a garden bed and plant zucchini with seeds immediately in open ground
Outdoor zucchini care
The basis of caring for zucchini includes their regular watering and top dressing as needed.
Zucchini is very demanding on moisture, they need to be watered as the soil dries up, and preferably at the root, and not by sprinkling (leave this method for top dressing and spraying). As a rule, one watering every 7-12 days is enough, while the water consumption is approximately 1 bucket per 1 sq. garden meter. But still, first of all, you should focus on the weather conditions.
Important! Zucchini do not like cold weather and cool rains, because. their ovaries are prone to decay, therefore, they should be watered with slightly warm water, for example, after placing a watering can with water in the sun. In addition, almost all summer residents in the garden have a barrel or an old bathtub used as a container, and draw water from there.
When it comes to harvesting, then watering should be stopped or reduced to a minimum. This is done to reduce the likelihood of their decay.
If you grow zucchini in a greenhouse or greenhouse, then after watering, do not forget to ventilate the room well, these pumpkins do not like high humidity.
Do not forget about loosening and weeding plantings as necessary.
The appearance of 4-5 true leaves in zucchini is a signal for hilling plantings to stimulate the growth of lateral roots.
Why don't they tie
As a rule, zucchini is not tied up for one simple reason - there is no one to pollinate them. Moreover, if the weather is cloudy, the bees do not like this, besides, there are not enough of them at all.
But you can carry out artificial pollination, then the zucchini is guaranteed to set fruit. First you need to figure out where the male flower is and where the female flower is.
When zucchini is just beginning to bloom, male flowers appear first, they have no ovaries, unlike female ones.
To carry out artificial pollination of zucchini, you must first cut off the male flower, clean it so that only pollen remains on the flower, open the female flower and touch the pistil of the female flower, and then, as it were, anoint it with pollen.
By the way! With one male flower, you can pollinate 2-3 female ones.
Video: why zucchini are not tied
If only male flowers appear on the squash, but not a single female one, then this means that the plant either lacks watering (for example, in hot weather), or light if you planted it in excessive shade. But more often his problem is in the absence of trace elements, which means that additional feeding is needed.
But it often happens that zucchini rot at the stage of small ovaries, what are the reasons and what to do about it, read on.
How to Attract Insect Pollinators
If you do not have self-pollinating squash, then in order to get a high yield, you should take care to attract pollinating insects to your site. There are several ways to attract them.
For example, during the flowering period, some summer residents recommend spraying zucchini beds with a solution of boric acid (1/2 teaspoon) and sugar (1/2 cup) in a bucket of water.
Another option: put containers with a solution of honey near the zucchini (1 tablespoon per 0.5 liters of water).
A more aesthetic way to attract pollinating insects to squash beds is. So you will not only attract pollinators, but also decorate your garden. Moreover, these flowers will protect the roots of zucchini from nematodes.
To attract pollinating insects to the garden, you can also feed squash plantings with an infusion of yeast and sugar. You will need 30 grams of yeast, 100 grams of sugar, which you need to fill with 3 liters of water, and then put in a sunny place until the first signs of fermentation begin. Next, pour the resulting infusion into a bucket and pour 10 liters of water, and then pour over the zucchini.
Why ovaries rot
One of the most popular reasons for rotting ovaries of zucchini is cold and rainy weather. In such conditions, the ovaries do not pollinate, there is no ventilation, bees do not fly in such weather, even self-pollinated hybrids cannot develop normally.
The second most popular reason for rotting is the thickening of zucchini plantings or the bush itself. Therefore, it is necessary not only to plant at the correct distance, but also to cut the leaves to give access to light and air to the ovaries.
Another reason that is often forgotten is the situation when the flower does not fall off the ovary, it begins to rot, and then the ovary itself rots. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly look at the ovaries of zucchini and manually remove the flowers when the fruit is already growing.
An equally common reason is the lack of micro and macro elements, in other words, zucchini require additional feeding.
top dressing
Lack of calcium often causes fruit rot. You can make up for the deficiency of this element by fertilizing zucchini with calcium nitrate (calculated as 1 tsp of funds per 10 liters of water). You can pour this solution both under the root (1 liter per 1 plant on previously watered soil) and on the leaf. The second way is more efficient and economical.
Boron is a very important trace element. It is especially important to feed zucchini with boron during the beginning of flowering. For example, you can use Bor-Aktiv or a similar tool (for example, "Bud" or "Ovary"). Again, you can do both root and foliar top dressing.
Iodine deficiency often also causes rotting of zucchini. To replenish iodine, you can use the following recipe: take 30-35 drops of the product and dissolve in 10 liters of water, and then perform foliar or root dressing.
Potassium is responsible for the formation of fruits, so zucchini should be fed with potash fertilizer. For example, potassium humate is perfect for this.
Thus, if you replenish the above macro- and microelements in time, then you will have an excellent crop of zucchini even in rainy and cool weather.
Advice! It is advisable to grow self-pollinating zucchini hybrids, in which case you do not have to resort to artificial pollination, and in general they adapt better to adverse weather conditions.
Harvesting zucchini for storage
The moment of harvesting squash, as a rule, comes about 2 months from the date of sowing in open ground, or 1-2 weeks earlier when grown through seedlings.
Even a novice summer resident can treat himself to such a delicate and dietary vegetable as zucchini, if he pays the utmost attention to our tips and recommendations for planting zucchini in the spring with seedlings and seeds in open ground. So go to the store for seed material!
In contact with
Asking the question “When to plant zucchini for seedlings in a year according to the lunar calendar”, it is necessary to take into account not only the indications of the heavenly body, but also the fact that the optimal age of seedlings for planting in open ground is 30-40 days.
If we plan to plant seedlings in open ground in the second half of May, then seedlings of zucchini should be sown on April 18. If you have the opportunity to organize mini greenhouses in the seedling planting sites, then seedlings can be sown on April 9th.
Planting zucchini for seedlings is carried out in such containers, from which it is easy to remove plants without damaging the earthy coma. For this purpose, you can use peat cups, disposable plastic cups, and even make them yourself out of paper. The volume of such containers can be about 200 cm3. When growing zucchini through seedlings, there is no need to worry if the weather does not allow planting them in open ground. In this case, you can transship into larger cups and the seedlings will continue to grow.
If we plant zucchini with seeds in cups without germination, then careful watering and maintaining the temperature within 20 - 22ᵒ C until germination is necessary. You can also germinate zucchini seeds before planting. To do this, wrap the seeds in a damp cloth or put a napkin in a plastic bag and place in a warm place for 2-3 days. During this time, the seeds will swell and hatch. Germinated seeds are immediately visible and it is they who must be given preference. We put such seeds in pots filled with soil mixture to a depth of 1 - 1.5 cm, water and set in a warm place.
When the seedlings rise, the temperature is lowered to 18 - 20ᵒС.
Care
Caring for seedlings of zucchini at home is completely simple. The temperature must be maintained at 18ᵒ C at night, and 20 - 22ᵒ C during the day. With timely watering, there is no need to over-water the seedlings. Slight wilting will not lead to the death of seedlings, but it is also unnecessary to bring to such a state.
Zucchini seedlings do not need to be fertilized if the soil mixture is prepared correctly. To do this, mix compost or good humus with garden soil and coarse sand in a 1: 1: 1 ratio.
Sowing in open ground
According to the lunar calendar, the best days for planting seedlings and sowing zucchini in open ground in May will be 19, 20, 27, 28, 29 and 30.
Sowing in open ground can be carried out both along the furrows and by making holes. In any case, the distance between plants must be selected in accordance with the selected variety. If bushy zucchini is preferred, then it is enough to retreat up to 60 cm, but when sowing long-branching varieties, it should be at least 1.5 m.
When sowing, it is necessary to select the best zucchini seeds, for open ground, this is especially important. To do this, the seeds must be germinated, just as when sowing by seedlings, and only those that are really viable should be sown. In one hole you need to throw 5 - 6 seeds, and after germination leave 3, the strongest.
Sowing is carried out only in moist soil. If germinated seeds fall into dry ground without watering, they immediately die.
The removal of nutrients from the soil by zucchini, especially high-yielding varieties, is large. Therefore, special requirements are imposed on soil fertility. Seasoned with organic matter in advance, with liming carried out, such soils will surprise the vegetable grower with their return of high-quality zucchini products.
Varietal assortment
There are 153 varieties and hybrids of squash in the register of varieties. The oldest variety is Gribovsky 37. He got into the register back in 1943 and still has not lost its relevance. The yield of this ancient variety reaches 8 kg per m 2, and the high palatability of the fruit made it the favorite variety for home cooking and commercial production.
Of the 153 varieties of the registry, only 30 are universal for all climatic zones. The remaining 123 are for specific regions.
Zucchini is not a cold hardy crop. To get a good harvest, they need warmth, therefore, giving preference to one or another variety, it is necessary to carefully monitor the regionalization of the crop.
Seed stores offer different hybrids and varieties. Zucchini for open ground for the northern regions, such as: "Angelina", "Aeronaut", "Karisma", "Kuand", "Ball", "Siren" can be sown in the southern regions, and they will give a good harvest. But the more fastidious ones: "Tulsa", "Toskha", "Hobby", "Yasmin" without the southern sun will simply leave you without a harvest.
However, store chains in each region, as a rule, have long "adjusted" to the local consumer and will certainly offer you zoned varieties and hybrids.
Harvest varieties
If you are interested in an unprecedented harvest, then give preference to the Black Beauty variety. Its yield is higher than the standard one by 114 c/ha. The zucchini is very dark, green and highly glossy.
And of course, the Gribovsky 37 standard itself. You can also sow: "Astoria", "Masha F1", "Kavili", "Apollo F1", "Aeronaut", "Anchor".
yellow-fruited
"Miracle orange", "Generous hero", "Pear-shaped", "Gold" these zucchini will delight you not only with color, but also with excellent taste.
Useful, tasty, so juicy and tender - all this is he, a zucchini. We are so accustomed to this plant that we cannot imagine our menu without it. At the beginning of summer, everyone enjoys fresh zucchini, and in winter - canned. How to grow this vegetable at home? Very simple!
Zucchini is a type of pumpkin. It comes from America, and appeared on our territory in the 16th century. Zucchini contains a lot of fiber, as well as ascorbic acid, proteins and many other useful substances, vitamins. Being a dietary product, it is very useful for everyone, and especially for children.
There are domestic varieties of zucchini and foreign ones. Both of them are very useful. The variety of varieties is huge, respectively, zucchini differ in size, color and even nutritional value.
White
This variety ripens very quickly, almost 35-40 days after the start of germination. Vegetables are medium, oval, but slightly elongated, white. One fruit weighs from 600 g to 1 kg.
Gribovsky 37 
A very popular variety that gives more than 8.5 kg of yield per 1 m 2. The fruits are light green, ribbed at the stem. One zucchini weighs from 700 g to 1.3 kg.
Golda F1 
A hybrid that is characterized by orange, golden, fruits. They reach 50 cm in length and 2.5-3 kg in weight.
White-fruited 
This variety develops only a couple of short shoots. But the fruits are harvested 36-44 days after germination. Such a zucchini weighs up to 600-900 g, the surface is smooth, whitish.
Genovese 
This is an Italian variety, very high-yielding and early ripening. Has the ability to long-term storage and has a good taste. The fruits are light green, cylindrical, 17-19 cm long and 900-1700 g in weight.
yellow-fruited 
This is a high yielding variety of bush zucchini. Gives a harvest after 43-62 days. The fruits have a slightly ribbed smooth surface, slightly narrowed towards the peduncle. Zucchini weighs 800-900 g.
Sosnovsky 
Ripens very quickly - 33-34 days after the appearance of seedlings. It has rather large fruits - 900-1600 g. It has excellent taste, has tender pulp, juicy. Colour: White, may be cream when ripe.
Sir 
Begins to bear fruit at 35-50 days. Bushes are compact. The fruits are ribbed at the base, cylindrical. Zucchini are characterized by a light green color with a mesh pattern. Weight can reach 500-600 g, and length - 15-18 cm.
Zucchini grows well both from seeds and seedlings. They grow well outdoors or in greenhouses. For experienced gardeners, planting zucchini is a common thing. But still it is worth knowing a few secrets.
When to plant zucchini for seedlings
One of the conditions for success is the right choice of time for sowing zucchini. These vegetables can be sown for seedlings around the end of April. In this case, the seedlings will have time to grow up by the time it is warm enough for them to land in the ground.
Seed preparation
There are many ways to prepare squash seeds for sowing. The easiest is to hold them for a couple of days in the open sun. You can warm them up near the battery for 1.5-2 months, hold them for a day at 40 0 C or 3 hours at 50-60 0 C. In a word, the seeds need to be warmed up, and how long depends on the temperature. You can disinfect the seeds with potassium permanganate, keeping them in a solution for 20 minutes, and then rinse with cold water.
After that, the zucchini seeds should be wrapped in a damp cloth and polyethylene. They are placed in a warm place and aired several times a day. For better plant durability, zucchini seeds can be hardened by holding up to 3 days in the refrigerator, on the bottom shelf.
Zucchini sprouts are very fragile. Therefore, it is best not to let them grow to 5 mm, but to sow swollen seeds. In this state, by the way, they can even be put in the refrigerator for a while.
Sowing and caring for seedlings
Seedlings of zucchini are sown in a greenhouse or pots. It is better to take separate containers of 8-10 cm wide. Drainage is laid out at the bottom: sphagnum or sawdust of deciduous trees. Next - disinfected soil, purchased soil or a mixture of peat and sand will do.
In one container, you need to put 1-2 germinated seeds to a depth of 3-4 cm. Above is a nutrient mixture. After sowing, the soil needs to be slightly compacted. Then the pots are covered with foil and left in a warm place. After the appearance of the first shoots, seedlings are placed on the sunniest window.
When the phase of cotyledon leaves comes, it's time to dive seedlings of zucchini. To do this, the seedlings must be well watered for 1-2 hours. It is very important not to damage the delicate roots of the seedlings, including not leaving them in the sun.
Next, seedlings need to be grown at a temperature of 17-22 0 C during the day and 13-17 0 C at night. Watering should be done after 5 days, about 1 liter per 8 pots with seedlings, always with warm water. It is important to ensure that moisture gets under the leaves, and not on their surface. Top dressing is done a week after the first shoots.
Transplantation in open ground
It is possible to transplant seedlings of zucchini in open ground in late May - early June. Before this, you can carry out the procedure of hardening plants. To do this, the pots are left on the balcony or at the open window.
Disembarkation is made at the age of 20-25 days. By this time, the zucchini should have at least 2-3 real leaves of a juicy dark color. The root system should already be white and cover the entire soil of the pot.
No more than 3 squash seedlings can be planted per 1 m 2. Between the rows, it is necessary to leave a distance of 1-1.5 m. In all holes, you need to put a little soil mixed with ash and humus.
Plants are planted together with a clod of earth, deepening to the very cotyledon leaves. Having compacted the soil near the seedlings, it is watered.
You can plant zucchini only in cloudy weather, but warm.
If there is a threat of cold weather, then you need to cover each bush with a cut plastic bottle, you can also cover the bed with polyethylene. After planting, after 1 day, it is advisable to loosen the soil in the area with zucchini.
Many people prefer to sow zucchini directly in the garden. This allows you to reduce the cost of effort and time, but the harvest will be no worse than when growing seedlings.
When to sow zucchini in the ground
In open ground, this beautiful vegetable can be sown from early May to mid-June. The main thing is to make sure that all frosts have passed and there will be no more severe colds. Or cover the first time the zucchini with a film, until a steady heat sets in.
Garden preparation
The site must be chosen sunny, warm. It is important that no pumpkin crops grow on it before. The choice of mineral and organic fertilizers depends on the quality and composition of the soil:
- Humus is added to the peat soil, compost (2 kg per 1 m 2), clay soil (1 bucket per 1 m 2), and also poured into 1 m 2 for 1 tsp. potassium sulfate, superphosphate, you can add 2 tbsp. l. ash. Then the bed needs to be dug up.
- Clay soil is fertilized with peat, humus, sawdust (2-3 kg per 1 m 2). You can also add 2 tbsp. l. ash and 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate. In this way, loamy soil is fertilized.
- Sandy areas can be improved with peat, soddy land (1 bucket per 1 m 2), as well as humus with sawdust (3-4 kg per 1 m 2).
- On black soil, you can make 2 kg of sawdust, 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 2 tbsp. l. ash - all per 1 m 2.
Seed preparation
Seed preparation is also important. Before sowing in the ground, they can be left for a day in a solution of potassium humate. Then the seeds are placed in a flap of damp cloth and kept there for 1-2 days. The fabric must be constantly checked and moistened, not allowing to dry. It is necessary to store the seeds at this time in heat - at a temperature of 22-23 0 C.
Sometimes zucchini do not sprout in open ground. Often the reason for this is their unsuitability due to long-term storage. So it is best to check the quality of the seeds about a month before planting. To do this, several seeds are kept in a damp cloth until germination.
Sowing
When the soil and seeds are ready, you can start sowing zucchini. Holes are made after 5-6 cm. This is the optimal distance. 2-3 seeds are thrown into each to a shallow depth (4-9 cm), depending on the soil.
It is better to sow deeper on light loams, and closer to the surface on heavy loams.
Insufficiently moist soil must be watered before sowing, after which light watering is also performed.
It is important to mulch the surface, for which you can use compost, peat or humus with a layer of about 2 cm. Black film is also suitable for this. But it needs to be cut in time, as soon as the first shoots appear.
After the appearance of seedlings, only one healthy plant should be left. The rest need to be removed, you can transplant them somewhere else.
Caring for adult zucchini is simple and does not require much effort. It consists of the usual activities:
- Glaze;
- top dressing;
Zucchini does not need loosening and hilling, from which the root system may suffer, and the plant will die.
To improve pollination, you can attract bees. 1 tsp dissolves in a glass of water. honey, after which the zucchini flowers are sprayed with liquid.
Watering
This plant needs moderate watering. But water must be poured under the root, in no case on the leaves. Before the appearance of flowers, it is necessary to water once a week, 4-5 liters per 1 m 2. After the appearance of fruits, zucchini needs more moisture. It is poured up to 10 liters per 1 m 2 1-2 times a week, depending on how hot the weather is. The condition of the fruit depends on the water - cold leads to rotting of the ovaries. With too frequent watering, the roots are sometimes exposed. Then they need to be hidden under peat with humus.
fertilizers
You need to feed the zucchini three times a summer. The first is produced even before the appearance of flowers. To do this, take a solution of the special substance "Ross" (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). A solution of mullein (0.5 l) and nitrophoska (1 tbsp.) Diluted in 10 liters of water is also used. For one plant you need to spend 1 liter of solution.
The second feeding is done when the plant blooms. For 1 bush we use 1 liter of solution. It is very simple to prepare it: 2 tbsp dissolves in 10 liters of water. l. "Effekton" and 2 tbsp. l. wood ash.
When the fruits begin to ripen, it is the turn of the third top dressing. The tool is prepared the same as for the second, but we dissolve Effekton-O with ash. Now the consumption increases: about 2 liters of solution are used per plant.
Do not forget about foliar top dressing. It is best to use a special tool "Bud", 10 g dissolves in 10 liters of water. Consumption - approximately 2 liters per 10 m 2. Such top dressing is done twice in 10-12 days.
Formation
Zucchini is a rather lush, dense plant. To increase the yield, it needs to be thinned out a little. This will allow light and air to flow well to the fruits and flowers. It is necessary to remove yellowing and 1-2 healthy leaves from the middle of the bush. This is done with a pruner, at the very base. It is important to ensure that the zucchini does not lie on the leaves. So they can rot and be unsuitable for storage.
Pests and diseases
Zucchini, like most vegetables in the garden, are exposed to diseases and various pests. This plant is sick with anthracnose, as well as powdery mildew, white rot, etc. As for pests, this vegetable most often suffers from sprout flies, melon aphids and spider mites also attack it.
There are a few general rules to help avoid these troubles:
- Rotation of crops;
- Timely collection and disposal of plant residues, affected vegetables;
- Disinfection of the soil, or at least deep digging of the site.
Proper seed treatment before sowing also helps to avoid diseases and pests.
Planting zucchini, the secret of a big harvest: video
fruit picking
You can start collecting zucchini when the first fruits grow up. Don't leave them on for too long. Young zucchini are most valued, no more than 8-10 cm thick. They have underdeveloped milk seeds, and the pulp of such vegetables is tender and juicy.
It is necessary to remove the zucchini in the morning, cutting them along with the stalk with a secateurs or a knife. If there are uneven shaggy ends on the stalk, then the fruit will not be able to be stored for a long time and will quickly rot.
Old vegetables lose their nutritional qualities. Their skin becomes hard, the seeds become denser.
How to store zucchini
Store young zucchini in the cold. At a temperature of approximately 0-2 0 C, they can lie for about two weeks. After that, the fruits lose their freshness, begin to coarsen, even rot. Ripe vegetables are stored longer - up to 5 months. To do this, you need to leave them in a cool room, dry, and with good ventilation. But you should not lower the zucchini into the cellars, it is usually too humid there - the vegetables will quickly rot.
To store zucchini, it is best to put it in a box, previously lined with coniferous sawdust, straw is also suitable for this. Vegetables should not touch each other. Zucchini also keeps well in the fridge. They need to be put in well-closed bags and left in the vegetable section. For some time, zucchini can be stored in the apartment by placing it near the door to the balcony or by rolling it under the bed - it is dry and dark there.
What to cook - zucchini and chicken casserole
You can cook a lot of goodies from zucchini. Here is one of the simple and delicious dishes.
Zucchini and chicken casserole
For her you will need:
- young zucchini (3-4 pcs.),
- chicken breast (about 800 g),
- 4 eggs,
- 2 bulbs
- hard cheese (100 g)
- a couple of tablespoons of sour cream
- spices to taste
Chicken breast is washed, dried, cut into small cubes and marinated in sour cream, spices and mustard. Onions are fried in vegetable oil.
Grate the zucchini and squeeze out the juice after 10-15 minutes. Then chicken, onions, zucchini are mixed and eggs and spices are added. The whole mass is laid out in a greased form.
Bake for up to 40 minutes at a temperature of 180-190 0 s. 10 minutes before readiness, the casserole is sprinkled with grated cheese. When the dish acquires a golden color - it's time to enjoy it!
Have a good harvest and bon appetit!
Zucchini is a heat-loving, herbaceous, annual vegetable crop with oblong, juicy and fleshy fruits. The appearance of the plant itself, depending on, may vary and have a bush, long-leafed or semi-bush form. In addition, there are differences in the color of leaves, fruits and, of course, in taste.
It is grown by sowing seeds or transplanting grown sprouts into open ground and. The most promising way is the cultivation of zucchini through seedlings. In this case, marketable products can be obtained almost a month earlier, in comparison with the non-seedling method.
When to sow zucchini for seedlings?
For the middle lane, the timing of sowing seeds for growing zucchini seedlings varies:
- from April 20 to May 12-16 - obtaining early products;
- from July 14 to 30 - late harvests, the fruits are suitable for long-term storage and preservation.
For the cultivation of zucchini in greenhouses and under film shelters, seedlings are planted 15 days earlier than for growing plants in the garden.
Advice! Don't know when to sow zucchini for seedlings? - Take an interest in the weather forecast for the next month, in particular, you need to find out the expected air temperature. The optimal daytime temperature for transplanting seedlings into a greenhouse or open ground is +23 ° C, and at night +19 ° C, respectively, the period in which weather forecasters predict stable warm weather, with the right temperature and no threat of frost, can be considered the best time for planting grown plants in the garden. From this date, you must subtract 30 days (the time from sowing the seeds to obtaining shoots with several true leaves), as a result, you get the best period for sowing zucchini for seedlings specifically for your region.
Features of growing seedlings of zucchini
- When growing seedlings of zucchini on the windowsill:
- south side - additional lighting is not required;
- north side - installation is required;
- west and east - it is desirable that the total duration of daylight hours be at least 11 hours.
Advice! Closely monitor the air masses coming from the street through the windows and transoms - cold air falling directly on the plants can destroy tender and, for the time being, weak shoots.
Important! Fertilizer is applied directly under each plant, a maximum of 1.5 tbsp. l. solution per container.
How to plant zucchini seedlings in open ground?
- 7–8 days before planting, the seedlings begin to carefully harden off, for this the pots are taken out into the street, kept there during daylight hours, and brought into the room at night.
- The fundamental point in deciding how to plant zucchini seedlings in open ground is the correct arrangement of plants - thickening is unacceptable, the bushes should not interfere with each other, otherwise one can only dream of good harvests.
Landing scheme in open ground:
- the distance between long-branch and semi-bush crops is 70 × 90 cm, bush varieties 70 × 70 cm;
- deepening - into the holes, to the cotyledon leaves.
- On the day of planting, prepare the holes and spill them with warm water (35 ° C).
- Root the plant, gently compact the earth around it, spill 1 liter of water per 1 sprout. Watering only basal, it is necessary to ensure that water does not fall on the leaves in any case.
- At first, until about June 19, at night, the ridges with seedlings should be covered with a non-woven protective material or film. This is done in order to exclude hypothermia and the death of shoots due to lack of heat or night frosts. In the morning, after warming up the air, the protective materials are removed.
How to grow seedlings of zucchini in the north?
Despite the fact that the northern summer is rather short, and the risk of an unexpected cold snap is high, farmers still successfully grow such a heat-loving and light-loving crop as zucchini. And they grow it mainly in seedlings. The question "How to grow seedlings of zucchini in the north?" - it’s not worth it, this technology is everywhere, both in the middle lane and in the northern regions, the difference is in the timing of planting, they are significantly shifted in time due to the climate.
Adviсe! For the northern regions, pick up, such as Roller, Beloplodny, Pharaoh, etc., they all have a short growing season, about 50 days before harvest, and high resistance to a slight decrease in air temperature. Cover the seedlings with protective materials at night and when it gets cold.
Greenhouse - arcs and covering material
- If possible, grow zucchini in a greenhouse, in the north this is especially true because of the risk of sudden cold weather, and it is much easier to cover and somehow insulate a greenhouse than a garden bed.
- Do not listen to well-wishers who are happy to give advice to everyone about when it is better to plant zucchini for seedlings. It is better when the temperature outside is optimal for the growth of zucchini, the soil substrate is prepared, containers for seedlings, fertilizers and, of course, the best seeds for your climate zone are selected.
Sowing zucchini seeds for seedlings - video
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