Zucchini is an unpretentious plant. With minimal maintenance, it gives a high yield. Numerous fruits with good taste are obtained, adhering to some recommendations for planting and care.
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Growing features
Before boarding, the following factors are taken into account:
- The place is chosen well lit or in partial shade. Avoid strong drafts and direct sunlight.
- Meet the deadlines. In the southern regions, zucchini are planted in early May, when the threat of return frosts has completely passed. In the middle and northern ones, they are grown in seedlings. The disembarkation is carried out at the end of May.
- The soil for growing vegetables is chosen nutritious.
- Only organic fertilizers are applied, since zucchini accumulate nitrates.
- Make sure that the ground is always moist. Watering is carried out with warm, settled water. Moisture is applied strictly under the root, avoiding contact with the leaves.
Seed and seedling preparation
For the cultivation of zucchini to be successful, the seed material is prepared before planting:
- The seeds are soaked in pure distilled water or in a solution of sodium humate. Pre-placing the seeds in a gauze bag.
- No more than two germinated seeds are planted in one planting nest. Embedding depth - 2.5 cm.
- In the phase of two true leaves, a dive is carried out. Leave the strongest plants.
When sowing zucchini for seedlings, the following terms are observed:
- in the southern regions - the end of March;
- in the middle - early April;
- in the north - early May.
For seedlings, peat-baked cups are taken, which are subsequently placed together with the seedlings in the planting hole. So the root system is less injured, and the young plant tolerates transplantation more easily.
Seedlings are planted in open ground 30 days after sowing. Zucchini do not tolerate a drop in temperature. They are covered with film or spunbond from night cold and return frosts.
In order for the culture to bear fruit until late autumn, the seedlings are planted gradually, 2 bushes each with a break of 7 days. It is recommended to place no more than 6 plants on one site.
Seedlings are grown at an air temperature of 23 ° C.
Zucchini care
The main measures for caring for zucchini are:
- loosening the soil;
- watering;
- timely fertilization.
Loosening
Soil preparation is an important condition for successful crop cultivation. It is necessary that the soil is loose and allows air and moisture to pass through well.
Loosening is carried out immediately after watering, preventing the formation of a crust on the surface, periodically carried out in conjunction with the removal of weeds.
Watering
Carry out regularly, but not too often, avoiding stagnation of moisture at the roots. So gray rot may appear.
Moisture is applied once every 10 days. For 1 m2, take 10 liters of warm settled water. The use of cold leads to the fall of the ovaries.
10 days before the start of the harvest, watering is stopped altogether so as not to spoil the fruits.
When growing crops in a greenhouse, daily airing is carried out.
Top dressing
Allows you to achieve a bountiful harvest. Use organic fertilizers:
- manure;
- compost;
- peat;
- bird droppings;
- wood ash.
Top dressing is carried out 2 times per season:
- During flowering.
- During fruiting.
Pollination
For better pollination, zucchini leaves are periodically moved apart. This is how insects gain access to flowers.
During a rainy summer, this process can be disrupted. In this case, they resort to manual pollination.
Harvesting
The first crop is harvested already 14 days after flowering. If fruiting is intense - after 5 days.
They do not allow overripening of fruits, this reduces the yield.
The maturity of the squash is determined as follows:
- Length - 16 cm. Thickness - 8 cm.
- Hard skin and dull sound when tapped.
- Soft root in green zucchini.
- Yellow or white, hard skin.
- The grains are firm, the filling is formed.
Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, the harvest of zucchini is plentiful and tasty. In summer, it is harvested every 5 days, otherwise the fruits will overripe. In autumn - every 14 days.
Do you grow zucchini outdoors?
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