How to Grow Zucchini

Zucchini is a popular member of the squash and pumpkin family. They grow nicely and in plenty with just a few vines. If you have too many starter plants in your garden, you will have enough to feed your entire block for the summer. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start thinking and planning out your garden layout in the winter months so when the threat of frost is gone come spring time, you are ready to plant you zucchini.

2. Put one seed per small peat pots indoors one month before the freezing temperatures are gone. This will start your vines nicely and you can place the entire peat pot in ground without having to disturb the roots.

3. Plant your zucchini seedlings or vines spaced apart in the ground just enough so they won't strangle each other when the vines and leaves start growing and with plenty of sunshine through out the day. Zucchini leaves are known to be very large and can overrun smaller plants if they are too close. If you are limited on space you can plant the vines near a fence or add a strong garden lattice and grow your zucchini vertically.

4. Grow the Zucchini vertically if your garden is limited in space. You will need to place a strong lattice close to the zucchini so that you can secure the heavy vine to it.

5. Water them deeply every few days you may need to adjust the vines if they are being grown vertically. Let the top of the soil dry before re-watering.

6. Wash off any insects and mildew on the fruit of the plants as well as the leaves and vines. Keeping the whole plant healthy and free of bugs will insure good zucchini and a health garden.

7. Be patient and wait for the zucchinis to start showing up. These plants like to grow plenty of leaves and male flowers before it rewards you with its squash.

8. Harvest the zucchinis before they reach full maturity, when they are less than 8 inches long, tender and full of flavor. If they get bigger than this they become tasteless and dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Grow just one plant the first year to learn how large the vines can get.

[oddetotheworld]

on 6/14/2009 How to prune the plant to get better yield? What's the use of the male flower? Why not just cut them off? I think leaves are better left alone since they are part of food source for the plant besides the root.
Any comments?

[Triune]

on 4/6/2009 Very thorough instructions! Well written and easy to follow. Just what I needed.