If you are thinking about planting zucchini, these tips on how to grow zucchini will help you get started.
Summer time and the taste of zucchini seem to go hand in hand. Zucchini is a true summertime vegetable, made tasty by lots of sun and heat. In case you didn’t know, just a few zucchini seeds yields pounds upon pounds of produce, making it a budget-friendly choice for the frugal gardener as well. If you are considering zucchini for your garden this year, here are some tips to help you get growing.
How to Grow Zucchini
How to plant zucchini seeds:
Feel free to start your seeds indoors if you wish. If you do start indoors, you will want to about 14 days before the final frost of the season. Because zucchini seeds tend to grow long roots be sure you use tall seed starters to give them plenty of room.
Whether planting indoors or directly outdoors after the final frost of the season, you should be sure you plant seeds one inch deep. Planting several seeds in a small hill will help them grow best. You will want to pick a space that has at least 6-8 hours of bright sunlight as well as well-drained, nutrient rich soil. Feel free to thin out the seedlings as they start to grow should they look too crowded.
How to transplant zucchini seedlings:
Once your seedlings are a few inches tall, you can transplant them. Whether you decide to transplant or to plant seedlings instead of seed, you will want to take caution. Since zucchini has long roots, be sure your soil is loose and not compacted. You should also dig a hole at least 6-8 inches deep to transplant the seedling into.
Should you wish to container garden with zucchini you can, but it isn’t one of the easiest veggies to container grow. You MUST choose one of the smaller varieties (Little Gem is a great example) and use a generously sized pot.
How to care for zucchini seedlings:
You will want to water the seedlings at least once a week, so they get 1-2 inches of water. They enjoy being kept moist, and mulch around the plant can help you achieve this. When watering, take care not to soak the leaves of the plant but just the base. This will help you avoid any rot or mold from developing on the leaves.
You won’t need to weed much as the thick zucchini plants often shade out any possible weeds. Should you see any, feel free to pull them by hand. You can also hand pick any pests you see, which can include the Cucumber Beetle. Both are fantastic options to using any chemical solutions on the vegetable.
It isn’t vital that you offer your zucchini any type of trellis support, as they tend to do fine on their own. If you wish to keep your produce off the ground however you can trellis the plant just as you would any other vine plant. Such trellis fixtures may also be helpful should you opt to plant your zucchini in a container or are working with any sort of limited space.
When and how to harvest zucchini:
Bigger isn’t better when it comes to zucchini. You want to pick them when they are about 8 inches in length. They are best served fresh or grilled this way. Should you let the zucchini get any larger, it loses flavor and texture and is best when used in baking or recipes that call for grating it.
So what zucchini recipes are you excited to try? When you give these tips for how to grow zucchini a try, you will find yourself with an abundance of it!
More Vegetable Growing Tips
- Tips for Growing Peas
- Tips for Growing Spinach
- Tips for Growing Cabbage
- Tips for Growing Parsnips
- How to Grow Radishes
- Tips for Growing Swiss Chard
- Tips for Growing Brussels Sprouts
- Tips for Growing Heirloom Tomatoes
- Tips for Growing Kale in Your Garden
- Secrets to Growing Summer Squash
- Tips for Growing Arugula in Your Garden
- Tips for Growing Broccoli in Your Garden
- Tips for Growing Beets in Your Garden
- Tips for Growing Cauliflower in Your Garden
- Tips for Growing Kohlrabi in Your Garden
- Tips for Growing Carrots in Your Garden
- How to Grow Eggplant
Lela says
What is the best way to freeze them so you can have them all year?
Alison Costain says
Best to grate zucchini then squeeze before you freeze. Zucchini grated holds a lot of water, for great results squeeze out the excess water.
Lou says
How do you kill pest of the zucchini , my leaves turn brown but still flower and then nothing
Alea Milham says
Diamitachious earth is good at discouraging squash bugs.
gail johnson says
I live in florida, my zucchini plants only grow male flowers, what should I do to get female floers as well?
Iris says
My plants are large and produces tons of blooms but no fruit. What’s wrong
Vicki LeColst says
Our zucchini bloom and start to grow about 4 inches but then start rotting and turning yellow. What am I doing wrong?
Roxanne Soliz says
Sounds like blossom end rot, which is caused by not enough calcium available to the plant. You can add lime to the soil as a fix. A quick fix to save the plant involves liquid calcium foliage spray. You can make it yourself using tums tablets. Good luck!