Easy To Grow Zucchini
Traditionally zucchini is dark green resembling a cucumber, but there are also yellow, orange and gold varieties.
Most varieties take about 50 days until the zucchini reaches maturity.
Zucchini is grown as single plants or frequently is small groups planted on small mounds. The mounds aids in drainage in wet climates as Zucchini like well drained soils. Ideally you want full sun, but partial shade is also OK. Be sure to leave room for the plant to grow as it loves to spread out quite a bit. You can adjust these spreading arms to where you have the most sunlight.
Plant your seed after the last frost has passed. Or start in pots and bring inside during cold weather. When planting seeds plant them 1 inch deep.
Water as needed. They require about an inch per week. Some plants like water on their folage, but zucchini should be watered in the morning below the leaves to avoid inviting mildew to form on the leaves.
Pick your zucchini before they reach full-size. The taste better when picked a little earlier than full-size.
Although zucchini is easy usually easy to grow, there will be pest to deal with at times.
Cucumber Beetles have black stripes or spots on an orange to green back. They eat the leaves of plants and worse their larva eat the roots.
If you notice the leave become both yellow and misshapen, then you have an Aphid issue.
Cutworms is a caterpillar who chews through plant stems right at ground level. To prevent an invasion keep the area around the plant cleaned of debris and vegetation, especially at planting time. The Cutworm eggs usually hatch in weeds.
Whiteflies look like small white moths. They suck the sap out of your plants.
Squash Bugs are a brown, winged insect. You can kill them by putting something like cardboard on the ground and kill them in the morning before the disperse.
To avoid diseases, make sure your zucchini get plenty of sun, water and have good air flow around the plants.
Harvest the zucchini when the zucchini is firm and about 8 to 12 inches in length. This can vary with certain varieties and of course growing conditions.
Picking zucchini actually helps prompt the plant to grow more! Either cut the fruit with a knife to remove from the plant or simply twist the zucchini back and forth time or two until is pops off. Now enjoy your fresh zucchini in whichever way you prefer to eat it!
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