How to plant zucchini: basic rules, several ways - with seeds and seedlings, what kind of soil should be and what to add to it. When and how best to plant zucchini seedlings, planting them in open ground, care Which side to plant zucchini seeds

Even with minimal care, zucchini generously rewards the farmer big amount fruits that are suitable for cooking and canning, and are also well stored fresh.

Zucchini belongs to the pumpkin family. Its fruits are yellow, white and green. The culture is thermophilic and light-loving; it does not bear fruit in the shade. The size of the harvest depends on the amount of light and the fertility of the soil. The plant prefers light, warm sandy loam and loam.

Zucchini can be grown in two ways:

• seedlings;
• sowing seeds in the garden.

Growing through seedlings allows you to get an early and significant harvest.

IN middle lane When growing zucchini in open ground without temporary shelters, the seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of April.

All about zucchini seedlings

Seedlings can be grown indoors or in a greenhouse. Buy soil for seedlings in the store - pumpkin soil mixture, or make it yourself by mixing peat, garden soil And sawdust in a ratio of 50:40:10.

Add to the soil mineral fertilizers- for 10 liters of the mixture, a glass, 1 spoon of ammonium nitrate, 2 spoons of potassium sulfate and superphosphate. Treat the seeds in potassium permanganate and sow in cups or jars. Zucchini does not like transplanting, so sow each seed in a separate container.

By the time the seedlings are planted in the garden or in the greenhouse, they should be about a month old - at this age they can more easily tolerate replanting. Use any available material: paper and cardboard cups, peat pots and tablets, laminated paper bags. Zucchini seedlings large leaves, therefore the diameter of the container should not be less than 10 by 10 centimeters.

Fill the pots with soil and water until it is wet to the bottom. Make a hole in the center, 3 cm deep. Place the seed flat - the sprouted root will face down.

Until the shoots appear, keep the temperature at 18-25 o C, then it needs to be lowered so that the plants do not stretch out. Lowering the temperature at the beginning of growth forms a powerful root system. Reduce the temperature for a week to 15 o C. Do not forget to maintain good level illumination

By the time of planting in the ground, standard seedlings should have 2-3 leaves and be no more than 30 days old. Before planting, water the soil in the containers generously and carefully remove the plants without disturbing the lump of earth.

When to plant zucchini

The soil for planting zucchini must have time to warm up to at least 15 o C. Planting zucchini seedlings in greenhouses or under film covers begins in early May, at open ground- At the beginning of June. It is ideal to do this on a cloudy day, and if the weather is sunny, you need to plant the seedlings in the evening so that they have time to acclimatize overnight.

Planting scheme

The planting pattern for zucchini depends on the characteristics of the variety. Plants of bush varieties are planted at least 80 cm from each other. 120 m are left between the climbers.

When planting, zucchini can be buried down to the cotyledon leaves. If there is a threat of frost, metal arcs are immediately installed over the bed and a film or covering material is stretched.

If it gets cold

If there are no arcs or film on the site, in case of cold weather you can make do with improvised shelters - cover each planted plant with a cut plastic bottle. As practice shows, such protection, despite its simplicity, reliably protects plants from the cold, even if snow falls for a short time.

Fertilizer and feeding of zucchini

If the soil for seedlings is prepared according to all the rules, it does not need to be fertilized - reserves nutrients The container will last for a month. But poorly growing seedlings should be fertilized.

The best fertilizers for planting are organic. Zucchini, like all pumpkin plants, love compost and rotted manure.

1. First feeding carry out 10 days after germination. The seedlings are kept cool for 7 days after emergence, and then the temperature is raised to 20 o C. The indicator for feeding will be the delay in the appearance of the first leaf after the temperature rises.
2. Second feeding carry out a few days before planting if the sources have turned pale or began to turn yellow. To fertilize zucchini seedlings, foliar feeding with any liquid fertilizer is suitable: Ideal, Agricola.

Water

The water should be warm - this will help avoid root rot. During flowering, each plant should receive at least 5 liters of water when watering, and during fruiting, at least 10 liters.

Before watering, the water is warmed in the sun - cold well water leads to rotting of young ovaries. If it is not the size of the harvest that is important, but the taste of the fruit, then the amount of watering is reduced.

In the open ground

Unlike its closest relatives, cucumbers, zucchini tolerate drought. You can water them rarely, but abundantly. Even if the weather is dry, 1 watering per week is enough for zucchini.

In the greenhouse

Zucchini in a greenhouse needs to be watered less than in open ground. Constantly wet soil will cause the ends of the fruit to rot. The rotten area is cut off and the cut is burned with a match. Such a fruit will continue to grow, and a cork layer will form at the site of the burn, impenetrable to rot and bacteria.

In some varieties, the tip of the fruit may rot even with optimal water mode. This occurs when the end of the fetus for a long time the flower does not fall. Rot from the flower will transfer to the fruit itself, so flowers from already set fruits must be removed manually.

How to get a rich harvest of zucchini

If you need to get maximum yield, then every week the bushes are fed with complex fertilizer or Mitlider No. 2 mixture. If it is not possible to feed the zucchini often, you need to do this at least 2 times:

1. For the first time before flowering, use a solution of the following composition - 10 liters. dilute 50 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium nitrate with water. Water the plants with clean water, and then pour 1 liter of fertilizer under each root.
2. Apply the second fertilizing after harvesting the first fruits with a solution of the same composition, but apply 2 liters of fertilizer to each bush.

Gardeners who try to use only organic fertilizers, can use the method of growing zucchini in compost or manure beds, as is done with cucumbers. Then the plant does not need additional feeding.

To get a large harvest, you need to regularly cut old leaves from the bush and those that have reached the right size fruit. Frequent harvesting of fruits stimulates the setting of new zucchini.

Zucchini is a vegetable crop that is famous for its excellent survival rate in almost any soil. That is why many summer residents around the world prefer to grow zucchini in their own garden plots.

But to achieve the maximum possible yield, it is important not only to take good care of them, but also to take into account all the subtleties preparatory stage, to planting zucchini seeds was very successful.

Botanical description

Zucchini is a perennial bush variety of the common pumpkin. His homeland is considered South America, where they practiced about 1500 years ago. In the 16th century AD e. this culture came to Europe, where it immediately gained popularity. In temperate climates, zucchini began to be grown as an annual plant.

This vegetable, quite popular all over the world, has a powerful, erect or creeping, faceted stem, on which are located large five-lobed leaves with fairly thick petioles. Both the stem and leaves are covered with light spiny pubescence. At the time of flowering, among the large foliage you can find large, brightly colored yellow flowers bell-shaped.

After some time, the ovary begins to form from the flowers, which over time turns into cylindrical or oval-shaped fruits.

They can be elongated or compact in size depending on the variety, and their color varies from white to bright - yellow color, but there are also zucchini of a rich green hue. The skin on the fruit is medium soft, but there are also fruits with a fairly hard skin.

Inside, almost mature zucchini has soft white or creamy pulp, but in the phase of full technical ripeness it becomes slightly coarser. It has a pleasant, although rather slightly sweet, taste. Among the pulp there are a lot of large light cream seeds with a side rim.

Selecting seeds for planting

Work on the future harvest should begin before placing the seeds in open ground. It is very important to choose the right seed, which must be of high quality. This is the key to good seedlings and largely determines the harvest.

You can collect zucchini seeds yourself from the fruits of the variety that grows in your garden plot. Also seeds different varieties are sold in specialized stores, but when purchasing them you should consider some important nuances:

• Seeds must be heat-treated;
• The packaging must indicate full information about the manufacturing company;
• The package with seeds must be full-weight;
• It is necessary to place a note about the hybridity of the variety.

Being aware of such subtleties of choosing purchased seeds, it is not at all difficult to choose really high-quality seed.

Seed preparation

Once the desired variety of zucchini has been selected, it is important to carefully prepare planting material. Preparation should begin by checking seeds for germination, which will help sort quality material and defective kernels.

To carry out the test, you need to place the seeds in a small container filled with a 1% solution of potassium manganese or a growth stimulator. After 20 minutes, the nucleoli should be washed with settled water. room temperature and place in damp, pre-heated gauze.

Within 3 to 5 days, the zucchini should swell if the seeds are of high quality. When this happens, they need to be placed in the refrigerator for several days. After the zucchini freezes slightly, they warm up again for a week in a well-lit place.

During this time, it should already become clear which nucleoli are suitable for planting and which are defective material. After this, you can extend the germination for some time to bring the zucchini to the desired state. When the hatched roots occupy up to 1/3 of the length of each seed, the planting material can be considered completely ready for placement in the soil.

Selecting soil and container for sowing

Planting zucchini seeds at home can be successful and give positive results only if you approach it with all responsibility. Therefore, you should prepare in advance for sowing not only the necessary seeds, but also everything else.

It is important to choose the right container for planting zucchini. You can opt for plastic or even paper cups, but seedlings will germinate best in peat pots reaching 10 cm in length and width. It is advisable to place them in shallow plates or some other flat container in case of water leakage.

The selected containers need to be filled with soil, which can be purchased at a specialty store. But it is quite possible to prepare the soil yourself by mixing 6 parts peat, 1 part sawdust and 2 parts wood ash or compost. It is advisable to add about 6 g of ammonium nitrate or 10 g of potassium sulfate to such a mixture.

In the event that there is absolutely no opportunity to prepare the most suitable soil or purchase special soil in the store, you can fill each container with ordinary soil taken from your own personal plot. Such soil should be watered with a fairly hot infusion of potassium manganese to completely prevent the survival of black rot larvae.

Planting zucchini at home

Prepared zucchini must be placed in separate pots, placing only 1 - 2 seeds in the soil. In soil specially prepared for planting, each kernel must be deepened by 6 cm, and in denser soil taken from a personal plot, it is enough to deepen the zucchini only 3 cm. In this case, the surface above the seedlings must be mulched with peat or humus to avoid the formation of an unpleasant crust.

You can plant seeds in pots to obtain seedlings in different terms, which will depend on the climatic zone in which it is expected. In warm areas, it is allowed to plant zucchini for germination as early as early May, while in colder areas, planting is advisable no earlier than mid-June.

Only if you comply the right technology planting and taking into account the timeframes permissible for placing seeds in the soil, you can count on receiving strong seedlings and a rich harvest in the future.

Sowing zucchini in open ground

You can immediately place zucchini seeds in open ground, but this is allowed no earlier than the last days of May, when the warm weather. A dry place with sufficient sunlight is best suited for zucchini. Before planting zucchini, you should definitely prepare and dig the soil, which ideally should be black soil or light loamy.

For other types of soil, additional fertilizers must be added to saturate them with substances useful for the development of seedlings. For this purpose, you should water the soil with hot Rossa fertilizer, but ordinary humus mixed with a small amount of ash is also quite suitable.

Planting zucchini can be done with either dry or pre-sprouted seeds. Experienced gardeners They believe that zucchini planted in the ground with seeds will produce a higher quality harvest that will last longer than those vegetables that were planted by seedlings.

It is advisable to carry out the process of placing kernels in the ground early in the morning or late in the evening. You should first make small holes on a selected and prepared plot of land. It is advisable to place 2 seeds in each hole to increase the chances of successful germination. In ordinary soil, the kernels should be deepened by 5 - 7 cm, but fertile land It will be enough to deepen the seeds only 3 cm.

The distance between the holes should be at least 50 cm, and if zucchini is planted in several rows, then a space of about 90 cm is required between them.

After placing the nucleoli in the holes, cover them with the remaining soil and pour a small amount of warm water over them.

If the air temperature drops to 8–10°C at night, it is recommended to cover the seedlings plastic film or big plastic bottles, which must be placed one per hole. During the day, you don’t have to remove the bottles, but just open the caps in them to allow air to pass through.

By adhering to this planting technology, you can greatly increase the chances of strong seedlings appearing.

It is highly valued in cooking for its delicate taste and dietary qualities. Not only stew and well-known caviar are prepared from it, but even sweet jam. This vegetable has long taken root in many summer cottages. Zucchini is quite easy to plant and care for in open ground; they can be grown both from seeds and through seedlings. We will talk about the nuances of the latter method further.

Growing zucchini through seedlings

Growing zucchini using seedlings has many advantages. The method is suitable for areas with cool and short summer and ensures an earlier harvest.

When to plant zucchini seedlings

The exact time when it is most optimal to sow zucchini seedlings depends on the climatic conditions of the region. It could be April or May. Seeds are sown a month before they are planted in open ground. If you plan to grow vegetables in a greenhouse or under cover, seedlings need to be planted 15 days earlier.

Pre-sowing seed treatment

Zucchini grown from 2-3 year old seeds bear more fruit and are more disease resistant. First of all, the seeds must be carefully inspected and those unsuitable for sowing must be removed. Store-bought zucchini seeds are most often already prepared, and no additional processing is needed. Often these seeds are colored. Homemade seeds or purchased secondhand must be processed.

To prevent fungal diseases, keep the seeds in hot water (48-50 degrees) for about 5 hours, after which they are immediately dipped in water for a few minutes. cold water. A 20-minute treatment in a solution of potassium permanganate with further rinsing is often used. cold water. The seeds can be heated in the sun for several days or treated with aloe and Kalanchoe juices in a 1:1 ratio. You can also use the drug “Fitosporin-M” to treat seeds. The treatment is carried out for 8-18 hours at room temperature.

Did you know? The homeland of zucchini is America. Zucchini came to Europe in the 16th century and was originally an ornamental crop. Later, its taste was still appreciated. Zucchini is often used in Mediterranean cuisine. Combined with tomatoes and eggplants, the classic dish ratatouille is prepared.

Soil for seedlings

The optimal soil for planting zucchini seedlings should have a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. A mixture in the following proportion is suitable: 5 parts peat land, 2 parts humus and turf soil, 1 part sawdust. If the substrate is too acidic, you can add chalk or ash to it. Great option there will also be a store ready mix for vegetable seedlings. You can find special soils for pumpkin crops on sale.

The procedure for sowing seeds for seedlings

Before sowing, homemade seeds need to be soaked until they swell. The swollen seeds can be stored in the refrigerator. If you germinate them, they will sprout faster, but you must take into account that zucchini seedlings are very thin, you need to handle them very carefully and sow such seeds immediately. Finished processed seeds should be wrapped in a damp cloth and plastic bag, place in a warm place and provide ventilation, airing several times a day. The fabric should not dry out or be too wet.

It is very important not to injure the root system of zucchini when moving the seedling into the soil, so it is best to sow the seeds in cups or peat pots. The containers are filled two-thirds with soil mixture and moistened. warm water and plant the zucchini seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm. If you are not sure of the high germination of the seeds, it is better to put two seeds in a hole. Containers must be covered with glass or film.

Important! Peat pots are a biologically friendly disposable container for seedlings. Seedlings can be planted in open ground directly in a pot, which later decomposes naturally.

Conditions before germination of zucchini seeds

Zucchini seedlings can be kept in a greenhouse, on a loggia or on a windowsill. Until sprouts appear, you need to maintain a temperature of 18-24 °C and water with warm water once a week.

Caring for zucchini seedlings

With the appearance of sprouts, the containers must be freed from the covering and moved into the light into a cooler room (balcony or loggia) with a temperature of 15-18 °C during the day and not lower than 13-15 °C at night. Before planting on the site, the temperature for zucchini seedlings should be within 17-22 °C during the day, and 13-17 °C at night. In order for the sprouts to develop normally, the seedlings need to be provided with good lighting, which can be increased using a screen made of foil and cardboard. It must be placed so that the reflected sunlight fell on the sprouts. If the air in the house is too dry, place a damp cloth on the nearest radiator. With the appearance of the third leaf on the seedlings, soil mixture must be gradually added to the container to form a strong root system.

A week after the sprouts appear, the first feeding is done with a solution of superphosphate and urea (0.5 tablespoons per 1 liter of water) or ready-made fertilizer “Bud”. After 10 days, fertilize a second time with a solution of a liter of water, ash and nitrophoska (0.5 tablespoons each).

When growing zucchini seedlings, watering is done with settled water at room temperature. To water 8 pots you need a liter of water.

Important! To extend the harvest period for greens, the seedling method must be combined with sowing seeds.

Planting zucchini seedlings on the site

At the age of 25-30 days, seedlings can be transplanted to the site.

When to plant zucchini seedlings in open ground

When average daily temperature will be 15 degrees, you can plant zucchini seedlings in open ground. The sprouts are ready for planting if they have several dark green leaves, root system well developed and covers the entire volume of the container, and the roots are white and intact.

Choosing a place for zucchini

To grow zucchini in open ground, it is recommended to choose a sunny, low-lying place protected from the wind. groundwater. They love zucchini fertile soil with a lot of humus.

Preparatory work

P about 2 weeks before planting seedlings on the site, the soil must be dug up to the depth of a shovel and fertilizers must be added: a bucket of humus or compost, a bucket of rotted sawdust, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate, 2 cups of wood ash, a tablespoon of urea and a tablespoon of potassium sulfate per square meter of area . For reasons of economy, you can apply fertilizer directly into the holes. They need to be mixed with soil and watered hot water and cover with film before planting the seedlings. A week before planting, during the day the pots with seedlings are taken outside to harden off.

Good and bad predecessors

It is better not to replant zucchini in the same place where they or other pumpkin crops (cucumbers, pumpkins, squash) grew last year. In this case, the vegetable will not be able to please high yield and risks succumbing to diseases typical of pumpkin plants.

Good predecessors for zucchini are considered early and cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, onions, parsley, lettuce, garlic, green manure. The latter plants are grown for green fertilizer; they enrich the soil with nitrogen and microelements, and inhibit the growth of weeds. Such plants are legumes and cereals, calendula, sunflower, mustard and others.

How to plant seedlings in open ground

The distance between zucchini beds should reach 1-1.5 m. There should be no more than three zucchini plants per square meter of plot.

It is recommended to plant zucchini in open ground in warm, cloudy weather. Before planting, you need to place a little humus and ash in each hole and moisten it with warm water. A peat pot or sprout with a lump of earth is lowered into the hole up to the cotyledon leaves, soil is added and compacted.

If there is a threat of frost, the sprouts should be covered with plastic bottles or polyethylene. To do this, install wire arcs over the beds and stretch the film.

Did you know? In Italy and France (particularly in Provence), stuffed zucchini flowers are a popular dish. Male flowers, which are not capable of creating a fruit, are used for food. They are eaten raw or fried in batter; cheese, pickled cucumbers, and anchovies are used as filling.

Seasonal care for zucchini on the site

Zucchini is a fairly easy-to-care vegetable. Like any plant, it needs watering, loosening the soil and weeding, and fertilizing. Even with minimal care, it can please you with a good harvest of fruits.

How to water

Watering zucchini in open ground is done mainly in the evening at the root with water heated in the sun. During hot periods, zucchini should be watered daily. When the plants have grown sufficiently and the leaves cover the soil, watering can be done once every few days. hot weather and after 5-6 days in cloudy weather. If the heat causes the leaves to become limp, water the plants using a nozzle with small holes. Zucchini growing in a greenhouse requires less watering than plants in open ground. Excess moisture can cause fruit rotting.

Loosening and weeding between rows

Loose soil allows water and heat to pass through better, which is important for the growth of zucchini. During drought, the soil tends to harden, forming a crust, so it must be loosened. It is convenient to combine loosening with weeding.

How to fertilize zucchini

Organic fertilizers for feeding zucchini in open ground can be purchased or prepared yourself.

After weeding or mowing, weeds need to be collected and placed in a barrel to the very top, pour water into it and stir occasionally. After a week, the contents of the barrel must be filtered and diluted with water in a ratio of 1:8. Next, pour the herbal infusion over the zucchini, being careful not to spill it on the leaves and stems. This is done two weeks after planting in open ground. Repeated feeding is done a week after the first.
You can alternate this feeding with manure fertilizer. Manure should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, left in the sun for several days and watered. When the zucchini ovaries appear, fertilizing is done a third time. To do this, prepare fertilizer from 10 liters herbal infusion or slurry, a glass of sifted wood ash and a tablespoon of double superphosphate. It is recommended to water the area before fertilizing.

Treatment (protection) of zucchini from pests and diseases

N A necessary care measure is to protect zucchini from pests and diseases. To prevent fungal diseases, it is recommended to treat the plants with a one percent solution a week after planting. Bordeaux mixture or copper oxychloride, and against pests - karbofos. In the fall, after clearing the site, the soil needs to be dug deep and prepared for another crop.

To combat melon aphids, plants are treated three times with a soap solution (300 g of soap, dishwashing detergent per 10 liters of water) at weekly intervals. Whiteflies should be washed off the leaves with water and the soil around the plant should be loosened to a depth of 2 cm. If such methods against pests do not help, insecticidal preparations are used.

Slugs need to be collected by hand; if there are a lot of them, bait is made from containers of dark beer. Zucchini can be affected by many diseases. At the first signs of the appearance of powdery mildew, you need to treat the area with a 10% solution of fungicides (Topsin, Bayleton); if necessary, repeat it after two weeks.

If black mold or white rot (sclerotinia) appears, the affected plants must be removed and burned; after harvesting, the area is completely cleared of plant debris. Bacteriosis is combated by treating with Bordeaux mixture (1%).

With improper care (planting in cold soil, watering with cold water, excessive fertilizing), zucchini may develop root rot. To eliminate it, you need to remove unfavorable factors and treat the zucchini with preparations containing copper. In hot, rainy weather, zucchini is sometimes affected by anthracnose, which can be controlled by treating with Bordeaux mixture (1%) or dusting with ground sulfur (15-30 g per 10 m² of planting).

Collection and storage of zucchini

The first harvest of zucchini can be obtained within one and a half to two months after planting. At good conditions one plant can produce 15-20 fruits. It is advisable to collect them every other day so that they do not outgrow and new ovaries form.

Did you know? Very unusual and interesting dish Spaghetti is made from zucchini. To prepare it, you need to grate the zucchini on a special Korean carrot grater. Eat vegetable spaghetti lightly stewed in tomato sauce and even raw.

The optimal zucchini fruits for eating are 5-7 cm thick and 15-20 cm long. These are unripe greens with soft skin and small seeds. They are fried, stewed, pickled, eaten raw (for example, in salads). Young unripe fruits have already become traditional ingredients in dietary nutrition and raw food diet.

For long-term storage Only ripe zucchini is suitable: their skin is quite hard, and if you knock on it, you can hear a dull sound. It is not necessary to wait until the fruits are fully ripe, because when correct assembly They can also ripen indoors. Green zucchini can be picked at the base for direct use, but for storage, a carefully cut long stalk is important. If you simply pick a zucchini, the “tail” will begin to rot and subsequently spoil the fruits themselves. You need to cut the stalks with a knife or pruning shears.

Important! Slightly overripe and large zucchini can be used for cooking squash caviar. It's okay if the fruits have rough skin and hard seeds.

Young fruits can be stored at low temperatures for no more than two weeks. Ripe zucchini can be stored in dry and cool rooms with good ventilation for up to 5 months. They need to be placed in a box or box so that the fruits do not touch each other, and the space between them should be filled with straw or pine sawdust. You can also store zucchini in the refrigerator in the lower vegetable compartment.

Growing zucchini in open ground does not require any special expenses. Certain agrotechnical knowledge and some effort will allow you to get big harvest vegetables for your table or even for sale, because zucchini is a highly profitable crop for agricultural business.

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In almost every household's garden, you can find such a crop as zucchini. And all thanks to the fact that this fruit has a unique and very useful composition. And the range of uses of this dietary vegetable is quite wide. Therefore, gardeners who plan to plant this vegetable for the first time are often interested in when to plant zucchini in the ground and what needs to be done in order to get a good zucchini harvest from the ground.

Choosing the right soil and place for planting zucchini

How to prepare seedlings for planting

How to plant zucchini seeds in open ground

Proper care of young shoots

What diseases and pests is the plant susceptible to?

Choosing the right soil and place for planting zucchini

First of all, it is worth emphasizing that the answer to such a question, how to plant zucchini correctly, is quite simple. The point is that this vegetable crop does not require painstaking care, but to remove bountiful harvest in the spring, it is better to choose soil rich in nutrients and determine right time disembarkation

Undoubtedly, zucchini is a unique fruit that can grow even on poor soils, but then you should not expect a good harvest.

Before you start fertilizing and preparing the soil, you should find out its composition, namely:

• For peat soil Rotted humus is suitable as a top dressing, which is best applied at the rate of 2 kg per 1 square meter;
• if the soil consists mostly of sand, then it should be fertilized with rotted humus, previously mixed with ash and sawdust;
• if chernozem is chosen for planting zucchini, then additional fertilizing is not required;
• Well, in the case when the soil is clayey, it is worth adding sawdust and rotted humus.

It is worth noting that better preparation soil to deal with in the fall. Well, in the case when optimal time was missed, then you can apply fertilizer in the spring. The only thing is to carry out such work as soon as the snow melts from the site.

As for the soil, in in this case everything is very clear, but another important question remains open: where are the zucchini sown?

In this case ideal place The location for this crop will be a sunny and wind-free zone.

Well, if the gardener belongs to the category of people who prefers to sow in a circle according to this rule, then it is recommended to plant this vegetable better after the following crops:

• after cabbage, regardless of its variety;
• after potato tubers;
• after tomatoes and eggplants;
• after any root vegetable, including onions.

Despite the fact that zucchini is an unpretentious plant, when it comes to the area for planting it according to the rule of crop rotation, you should avoid the following garden crops:

• cucumbers;
• squash;
• watermelons and pumpkins.

Moreover, zucchini not only should not be planted after these fruits, their proximity is not even recommended. The thing is that such crops are able to cross-pollinate among themselves and thus have an impact Negative influence for the future squash harvest.

Some gardeners often allow one big mistake in such a question as how to plant zucchini seedlings in the same place for several years.

The fact is that this is very wrong, since this vegetable quickly draws out everything beneficial features soil, and thus makes the bed unsuitable for further planting. Of course, this situation can be corrected, provided that the gardener, before sowing zucchini, supplies the zucchini bed with fertilizer in a timely manner.

In the case when a site is chosen for a given crop that has not previously been used for other vegetables, the first thing that needs to be done is to dig up the future bed and fertilize it well, and only then can it be planted.

How to prepare seedlings for planting

To get a good zucchini harvest, it is better not only to pay attention to the soil where the sprouts will be planted, but also to choose high-quality seeds for further seedlings, and also to know exactly when to sow zucchini.

For these purposes, you need to start preparing squash seedlings 4 weeks before planting. And you shouldn’t lose sight of the most important detail, such as preparing seeds for planting. This procedure consists of several stages, namely:

• selection of quality seed material, with the mandatory removal of all defective seeds;
• pre-warming the squash seeds to awaken the sprouts;
• soaking seed material to swell it.

It is worth noting one very important point, not every variety of zucchini requires pre-soaking. Some varieties undergo testing before packaging and sale. special treatment. If you purchase this variety, this information will be provided on the packaging.

To plant zucchini seeds in the ground, you can use purchased soil, or do it yourself. For these purposes, it is recommended to take equal amounts sod land, rotted humus and sand.

But before planting, it is necessary to treat the soil with boiling water, regardless of the selected soil. This measure is aimed at protecting young shoots from such a defect as “black leg”.

Sowing seeds to obtain seedlings should be done in special containers provided for such purposes. As a rule, these are special cups, up to 14 cm deep and 8 cm in diameter.

It is worth noting that the root system of this crop is very delicate and quite negatively tolerates any manipulations associated with transplantation. For this reason, no more than three seeds are sown in one such container, keeping a short distance.

When the necessary containers are prepared, begin sowing the seeds. To do this, you will need to bury each seed at a distance of 3 cm and water it thoroughly. When the seed is planted, the containers are sent to the most warm room in the house.

As a rule, this place is always located near the battery. If you do this, the first small sprouts will appear within a few days of sowing the zucchini. After the small sprouts appear, they are moved to a lighted place; in this case, a window sill is good.

At this stage of cultivation, each cup with planted zucchini is carefully inspected to identify weak pagons. If such are identified, they should be disposed of immediately.

As for watering, it should be done once a week, with water at room temperature. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the liquid does not fall on the young growth, but is poured only under the stem.

Fertilize young pagons twice according to the following scheme:

• a week after the first shoots appear, the plants are watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• exactly a week after the first feeding, the plants are fertilized with bird droppings.

But at the same time, one should not forget one simple rule: fertilizing the plant must be carried out only after the soil has been moistened, otherwise young greenery may develop a thermal defect.

When the zucchini seedlings throw out the first pair of leaves, they begin to plant zucchini in open ground. Basically, this time falls on the last days of May.

It is important to take into account that young plants cannot be kept in seedling containers, otherwise the roots of the plant will begin to grow rapidly, which will affect the green top of the zucchini in the form of yellowing.

In Ukraine climatic conditions allow such manipulation as planting zucchini seedlings in open ground from mid-May until the Feast of the Holy Trinity.

It is worth noting that most experienced gardeners strongly recommend doing it in parts when it comes to planting zucchini in open ground. In other words, squash greens are planted in small parts in order to increase their fruiting period.

Another important question concerns at what distance to plant zucchini. In this case, gardeners recommend keeping a distance of at least 50 cm. The thing is that this crop is quite spreading, so in order for each bush to grow fully, such a distance must be maintained.

In the vast majority of seed manufacturers, they must provide such useful information, like a zucchini planting diagram, on each package.

When planting zucchini in open ground, it is necessary to water it. There are two opinions of experienced gardeners on this matter. Some argue that it is necessary to water the prepared hole itself before planting, while others insist that watering should be done after planting the soil is completed.

In this case, both sides are right and there is no difference between the procedure performed. Therefore, the choice remains with the gardener himself.

How to plant zucchini seedlings in open ground? This question we discussed above, now it remains to learn in more detail about the final stage of such a procedure as planting zucchini in the ground. When all the young growth is in the garden, the soil near each zucchini must be mulched.

Then, each sprout is covered and buried so that the protective container is firmly strengthened. This manipulation will help not only maintain the required humidity, but also maintain the most optimal temperature until each sprout has established itself in a new place.

Planting zucchini seedlings is a task that does not require specific skills or a lot of free time. The main thing is to do everything correctly and observe the sowing dates in order to reap a good harvest of this delicious and healthy crop in the future.

How to plant zucchini seeds in open ground

Often, a crop such as zucchini is planted with seeds in open ground. Therefore, for many beginning gardeners it becomes topical issue how and when to plant zucchini seeds. In this case, such manipulation in open ground is carried out no earlier than the end of May.

But it is necessary to take into account local climatic conditions. The fact is that the planting date for zucchini can be postponed even to July if the climate zone is characterized by harsh weather conditions.

Planting zucchini in open ground with seeds is done in two ways, namely:

• pre-soaking zucchini seeds;
• sowing zucchini in dry open ground.

Moreover, zucchini seeds are also planted in open ground in two ways, namely:

• forming small beds for planting;
• planting method by forming holes.

Seeds are sown to a depth of up to 6 cm, and if the location where the zucchini is located has different humidity, then planting is done at a distance of up to 4 cm.

Another important question is at what distance to plant zucchini. In this case, planting such a crop is carried out similarly to seedlings.

In general, it is worth emphasizing that to such a question as how to plant zucchini in the country, there is only one answer: choose a time acceptable for your region and carry out this manipulation. And in this situation, it does not matter which method was preferred, planting seedlings or seeds in the ground. Planting zucchini seeds is much easier, and care for these two methods will be identical.

Proper care of young shoots

As already described above, a crop such as zucchini is one of the most unpretentious vegetables to care for. But, despite this fact, the gardener will still need to allocate a little time for the following procedures, namely:

• zucchini seedlings planted in open ground must be earthed up when the fourth leaf grows on the young plants;
• Planting and caring for zucchini in open ground requires regular and generous watering until the ovary begins to set;
• planted zucchini seedlings require regular weed removal. It is worth emphasizing that if the gardener has not ignored such a procedure as mulching, then these processes can be safely ignored;
• Such a procedure as planting zucchini with seeds, planting zucchini with seeds, requires mandatory feeding, which is performed twice a season. First, during the flowering period, potassium fertilizing is performed. And when the fruits begin to set, they re-fertilize with ash.

There is one trick that helps increase the volume of zucchini naturally. For these purposes, fertilizing with urea is carried out once a month, starting from the period when they just begin to plant zucchini in the ground and until the crop is fully ripened.

What diseases and pests is the plant susceptible to?

Zucchini, just like any other garden crops may suffer from the following defects:

1. If the leaves of this crop are covered with spots of a yellowish tint, it means that the zucchini has come under attack cucumber mosaic. You can get rid of such a defect with the help of special preparations sold in any specialized store, or use the folk method, making an infusion from onion peels, which copes well with the task.
2. In the case when a white coating appears on the leaves of this crop, this is a signal that the zucchini is infected with powdery mildew. You can overcome it with a solution of ash, or purchase the appropriate drug.
3. Often, growing zucchini in open ground is accompanied by a problem such as white rot disease. It is worth noting that this defect is the most dangerous for this crop. And this uninvited guest appears as a result improper care or from too rainy season.

This nuisance can only be overcome by completely removing the affected bush. And then, the places where this defect was discovered are urgently treated with a special drug. It is extremely important to perform such a manipulation, otherwise white rot will hit the neighbors healthy plants.

When planting this crop, it is worth considering that it can often be affected by various pests, so you should be prepared for this scenario. So, what pest attacks are planted plants most often susceptible to:

• melon aphid, a common and dangerous enemy of zucchini. A strong infusion of tobacco or a special drug will help deal with this uninvited guest;
• often when fertilizing with rotted manure, the gardener brings it into the garden bed sprout fly, the larvae of which are present in manure. Most this pest is afraid of ash and ground pepper, so this is a handy remedy to help the gardener.

The question of how to plant zucchini correctly was discussed above in detail. This culture, as described above, is very useful for human body. It is especially valuable for people on a diet, as well as for the smallest inhabitants of our planet.

Growing this fruit yourself will not be difficult, the main thing is to strictly follow all the recommendations described above, and in this case you can get a generous harvest.