{"id":2322,"date":"2019-06-06T09:30:58","date_gmt":"2019-06-06T09:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/?p=2322"},"modified":"2020-01-22T08:59:56","modified_gmt":"2020-01-22T08:59:56","slug":"15-care-tips-for-zucchini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardener.guide\/15-care-tips-for-zucchini\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Care Tips for Zucchini"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Zucchini is a part of the cucumber family. This plant is becoming quite popular to grow in home gardens because it is typically easy to grow with just a little bit of care. The plants need a lot of water and a lot of sun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The zucchini is very productive summer squash. Apart from the great nutritional value that is offered by zucchini, there are many great recipes that can be made from it. You can use them in everything from pancakes to desserts to wonderful salads and casseroles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you are planting or harvesting zucchini it is very important to know how you can grow the best possible crop without exposing your plants to unwanted bugs or diseases. It is also important to know how to properly fertilize the plants. If you are planning to grow zucchini in your garden this summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 8 proper care tips for your zucchini plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. When to Plant Zucchini<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Zucchini is a plant that is often considered to be very easy to grow. It needs soil that is well-drained and plenty of sunlight in order to grow in large amounts. In order to get the best results you are going to want to make sure that you place compost around your zucchini plants in order to improve the moisture retention of the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strong winds can affect the growth of the plant. For this reason, it is important to make sure that you place your plants in an area that is safe from high winds or to shelter the plants with row covers. Make sure that you wait to plant your zucchini until a week after the last frost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planting zucchini to soon can lead to it being destroyed by cold weather. It is actually best to plant zucchini later in the summer so that there is no threat of frost or cold destroying your plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Planting Rows<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are planting zucchini it is important to make sure that you are planting the seeds in groups. For individual growth you should plant the seeds 36 inches apart. You should plant at least three seeds together. You want several plants to grow with each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The groups of plants should be about three or four feet apart in rows that are about eight to twelve feet apart. This will give the plants enough space to spread out and start to grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, you need to make sure that you have a source of water nearby in order to make sure that the plants have access to enough moisture throughout the growing season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to thrive, the zucchini plants will need plenty of sunlight, but they also need to have some shade so that the plants do not burn up in the sunlight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Planting Multiple Times<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the great things about zucchini is that it grows pretty quickly. It is ready for harvest just about 40 to 60 days after it has been planted. This means that if you want a really big harvest you can start new plants two or three times each season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zucchini plants work really hard at producing fruits, it is natural that the plants will then slow down and then give out. For this reason, it is a great idea to have a new crop that comes in just as the older plants are dying out. Some people feel like their first harvest of zucchini is plenty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you want a steady supply, the best thing to do is to plant in succession. Since zucchini is easily grown from seed, you do not need to start the seeds indoors ahead of time. You can sow the seeds directly and see plants within just a few days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second planting during the middle of July or August will grow faster and should produce in just a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Zucchini Varieties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to growing great zucchini in your garden the type of zucchini that you choose is just as important as how you plant them. You need to consider is which type of zucchini is going to grow best in your area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to choose the right type for your area if you are wanting to get the best results. If you live in a fairly moderate climate, such as the midwest, there are two types of zucchini that tend to do very well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eldorado and the Sunburst are two yellow variety zucchini plants that tend to do well in moderate climates. There are also several types of green zucchini plants that do well in these areas as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to pick a type of zucchini variety is to simply check out your local garden stores. You can also speak to someone in your local area that is in a garden club or from your local farmers’ market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Pollination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pollination is very important when it comes to growing great zucchini. One of the issues with pollination is the fact that the zucchini blossoms only have a one-day lifespan. Another problem is that you have to have a female and male flower open during the same time span. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When zucchini plants are new they produce mostly male flowers. This can be quite frustrating because there are a ton of flowers, but now fruits beginning to form. Patience is key. Once the plants really start to form you will see flowers from both sexes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The early males should attract pollinating insects. Female flowers will have tiny fruits located at the base. If you are dedicated to your zucchini plants you can take pollination into your own hands by removing male flowers and then dusting the pollen into the females. This ensures proper pollination will occur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Zucchini Pests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While zucchini is a fairly easy plant to grow, there are several things that can affect your zucchini plants. Squash vine borers really love zucchini almost as much as humans do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The adult borers will emerge from their hiding spots in the soil sometime during the month of June or early July. One of the first things that they will do is lay eggs near the base of the squash plants. As the eggs hatch, the larvae will start to burrow into the stems of the zucchini plants and begin to feed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the borers start to feed it will cut off the water flow through the stem of the plant and this can kill your gorgeous zucchini plants. One of the ways to avoid squash borers is to wait to plant zucchini until the middle of July. If there is no zucchini in your garden, the vine borer will not lay eggs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is beneficial in another way because when larvae finish feeding on the current plants they burrow and wait to kill next year’s harvest. Avoiding the cycle for one year can cut down on issues in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Proper Soil and Sunlight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you are going to plant zucchini you need to consider the soil that you are planting it in. Zucchini plants tend to do well in any type of soil that is well-draining. These plants do need to be watered regularly. For this reason, make sure that you are planting your zucchini is located near plenty of water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you are planting zucchini you also need to make sure that you consider where you have planted the zucchini before. It is a good idea to rotate your spots so that you can help to prevent squash bugs from ruining your crops. You should plant your zucchini in a different container, spot, or bed each year in order to get the most out of your plants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zucchini plants prefer full sun, but need a bit of shade as well. A bit of shade during the day will help to keep the skin and leaves of the plants from burning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Weeding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to caring for your zucchini plants it is important to make sure that you are taking the time to weed your zucchini garden on a regular basis. While zucchini is considered to be a hardy and fairly self-sufficient plant, it still needs the proper nutrients and water in order to grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you allow your garden area to become overgrown with weeds it can kill off your zucchini plants. This is because the weeds are taking away the nutrients and the water from your plants. It is important to make sure that you remove weeds on a regular basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking the time to weed your zucchini garden will ensure that your plants have all that they need to grow and to thrive. While you are weeding, check for any pests that may be destroying the plants as well. You can also check for fruit and see if any are ready to be harvested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n