Planting zucchini - when, where & how do you do it?

Which plants are suitable for growing in the garden?

All zucchini varieties are easy to care for and very productive. You can easily choose the right variety according to your taste or the appearance of the fruit. You can choose between classic elongated or spherical, green, yellow or striped. A high-yielding variety is the early ripening zucchini “Mastil F1” with a long harvest period and also resistant to powdery mildew.

Can zucchini also be grown on the balcony?

You can also grow zucchini on the balcony in a sufficiently large bucket with at least 15 liters. You fill the bucket with potting soil and put it in a sunny place.

Suitable varieties are the compact “Patiostar F1” and “Maraîchère” as well as “Black Forest F1”, whose tendrils can be guided upwards with a climbing aid.

Location

Zucchini are heat-loving plants. Your location in the garden or on the balcony should definitely be in the sun and protected from the wind. You can create a vegetable patch, use a raised bed or a free space in the flower bed. If the zucchini is planted near the compost, it will benefit from the nutrients that are washed out.

How can I prefer zucchini plants myself?

Select seeds in the garden center or order from the gardening mail order company
Sow about 2-3 weeks before planting out, i.e. not before April
Place two seeds 2-3 cm deep in a small pot and cover with soil
put the pot in the window sill, do not keep the soil too moist
Germination time 1 - 2 weeks
leave only the stronger of the two plants
When two to four leaves have formed, you can plant the zucchini in the bed

Which soil is suitable for growing zucchini?

Zucchini can be grown particularly well on loose, humus-rich soil. In addition, you can mix in compost and spread a layer of mulch on the ground. This protects leaves and fruits from rot and saves you from plucking weeds.

When is planting time?

The zucchini are planted out from May. You can use the ice saints as a guide. When these are over, the young plants should be safe from night frosts. Should there be late frosts, cover the plants with a hat or a bucket.

Does a planting distance have to be kept?

Absolutely. Zucchini plants need enough space as they develop large leaves. You should plan around 1.5 to 2m² of space per plant. The planting distance should be approx. 80 to 100cm.

Many varieties grow bushy and leaves and fruits can drain well if there is enough space. If you only have little space available, you can select a climbing variety and guide it upwards on a trellis.

Put plants in the bed

You place purchased plants directly in the bed. You can plant out pre-grown plants as soon as they have formed two to four leaves. Don't forget to water and fertilize, as the zucchini is a heavy hitter. Even if you are a zucchini lover, you will get a rich harvest with just one or two plants.

Harvest time

The first zucchini can be harvested after 6 to 8 weeks. The fruits taste best when they have reached a size of 15 to 20 cm. With a regular harvest, the plant always develops new flowers, from which further fruits emerge. The harvest time ranges from June to October.

Good and bad neighbors

Zucchini are good for mixed culture. Good neighbors are leeks, onions, spinach, runner beans, and nasturtiums. Bad neighbors are potatoes.

Tips & Tricks

Young zucchini plants are a treat for snails. You can prevent this if you set up snail fences immediately after planting or sprinkle slug pellets (€ 16.78 on Amazon *) around the plants.