Zucchini - growing, care, collection and storage of crops

Zucchini belongs to the annual plants of the pumpkin family, it comes from Mexico, but they have taken root well in our gardens and vegetable gardens.

Planting zucchini - ways

The first, seedling method

In order to grow zucchini seedlings, you can purchase a balanced soil or cook it yourself. We sow seeds in prepared containers with soil.
For seedlings, it is better to find a sunny place and provide regular irrigation. The temperature in the room where the plants are located should exceed +20 degrees.

After a week, you will notice that the seeds have hatched, and after 30 days, the seedlings can be transplanted to a new place. For breeding seedlings, it is better to use peat containers, so the zucchini must be transplanted very carefully. The root system must be closed.

Second way

This is sowing seeds in open ground.
It should be remembered that pumpkin crops must be planted in different places. Therefore, initially choose a good, sunny planting site, as well as prepare the soil and apply fertilizers. It is good if crops such as beets, carrots, potatoes previously grew at the chosen planting site.

To feed the soil for marrows, it is necessary to apply phosphorus fertilizers, as well as potassium and ammonia. Zucchini do not tolerate acidic soil, chlorine-containing additives and close groundwater flow.

It is necessary to sow seeds at a great distance, so that in the future the plants do not interfere with each other. In order to protect the zucchini from birds, they should be covered with foil.

Zucchini in the open field, proper care

Zucchini do not require special care, it is enough to loosen, water, weed. The first loosening should begin one and a half weeks after planting. Zucchini need to be watered regularly, once a week; during the fruiting period, it should be watered several times more often. For irrigation, you need to use warm enough water, with a temperature of +20 degrees.

Zucchini do not like cold water, and you should not neglect this, otherwise your plants will simply rot. Since the root system is on the surface, it can become bare. If the soil is washed out from under the zucchini, then the roots must be additionally sprinkled with a layer of earth. This must be done manually, so as not to accidentally damage the root system.

For feeding zucchini we use saltpeter, phosphates, potassium.
An infusion of mullein or chicken droppings is also suitable as a fertilizer.

In order to bear fruit, zucchini needs timely pollination. In order for insects to pollinate the flowers, large leaves should be pushed aside so as not to obstruct insects during pollination. If you need to lure insects, flowers can be sprayed with water mixed with a spoonful of sugar. If it's a rainy summer and there are practically no insects, the flowers will have to be pollinated on their own. In order to pollinate two, three female flowers, one male is needed. High humidity is detrimental to the plant. If your plants are covered with a film, then it is necessary to raise it in sunny weather or organize a ventilation system.

How to harvest and store zucchini crops

It takes about two to three weeks for the zucchini to fully ripen. You can start harvesting when they reach a length of 15 centimeters. If you have created favorable conditions for your plants, then you can count on the fact that one bush will produce more than 10 fruits.

During active fruiting, zucchini should be harvested regularly, at least once every two days. In order not to create obstacles to the formation of new fruits.Cut fruits on time are much tastier and healthier than overripe fruits.

The harvested fruits should mature for several days. Then they will dry out a little, and the skin will become harder. Greener squash should be kept cool, no more than 14 days. After a few weeks, the quality and benefit of the fruit decreases. Mature squash can be stored in the cellar for up to four months. Zucchini must be stored separately, for this they can be hung in nets