Zucchini ( Cucurbita pepo ) is a plant from the Cucurbitaceae family which cannot be missing in a vegetable garden: it requires many nutrients from the soil, but if cultivated correctly it offers a rich production of excellent vegetables, then, in addition to fruit, it will also be possible to cook the very good zucchini flowers, which they will make freshly picked.
Zucchini is a vegetable particularly suitable for low-calorie diets, in fact it only contains 20 calories in 100 grams of fruit, there are many recipes with zucchini, precisely for this reason it is a plant that should not be forgotten in the family garden.
We will then discover tips and tricks to grow this vegetable in the best possible way using organic farming methods, from the right planting time to fertilizing and harvesting the zucchini.
Contents [Ocultar]
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The soil and climate in which zucchini is grown
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Soil preparation and fertilization
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How and when to plant zucchini
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Sowing in the nursery
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Sowing in the open field
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The sixth implant
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Rotation and Association
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zucchini transplant
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The organic cultivation of zucchini
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Remove the first zucchini
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Watering the courgettes
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Fertilization during production
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Zucchini flowers and pollination
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greenhouse cultivation
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Growing zucchini in pots
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Plant diseases and pests
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How to collect
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Zucchini harvest
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Harvesting zucchini flowers
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The plant is also eaten
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zucchini in the kitchen
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Varieties of zucchini for growing
Contents
The soil and climate in which zucchini is grown
The right ground. Courgettes ideally require a soil pH between six and seven, they are a very demanding plant in organic matter and nutrients and for this they need rich soil, which we can help with good fertilization. To prevent diseases such as powdery mildew, it is important that there is no stagnation of water, it is preferable to choose a sunny plot.
the ideal climate . Zucchini is a plant of tropical origin, for this reason it requires a fairly temperate climate and fears frost, below 10 degrees it stops growing, it likes temperatures around 15 at night and 25 during the day. This is particularly important when planting: the harvest is often poor because the courgettes are planted too early.
Soil preparation and fertilization
Before starting to grow zucchini in our garden, we must take care of prepare the terrain . Ideally, start fall period also indicated for a good fertilization of the bottom, in any case I suggest working the soil at least 10 days before planting the seed.
The classic soil preparation consists of a shovel , it is useful if the soil is worked regularly not to turn over the clods, but to maintain the stratigraphy of the soil by simple plowing. We can do it with little effort using a fork instead of the classic shovel.
Bottom fertilization is particularly important , due to the requirements of this plant in terms of organic matter and nutrition. Add compost and manure to the soil. There is no general rule on how much to pay for zucchini, as it depends on the type of soil, taking into account as an indicative reference 1 kg of dry manure (as in the case of pellets) per square meter, more than five times more if it is mature manure . We dig by incorporating the nutrients into the soil, then we finish with a rake to level the bed where we will proceed with sowing or transplanting.
How and when to plant zucchini
Zucchini has a large seed that germinates easily. We can decide to put it in the nursery, so that it is protected, or directly in the open field if the weather allows it.
Foyer
Courgettes can be sown and in March in a nursery under protected cultivation , just place a seed for each jar, one cm deep with the tip down. If the temperature is around 20 degrees, the seed germinates in 4 days, if it is warmer even less. The seedling can remain in the pot until 3 true leaves form, usually 15 or 20 days, then it must be transplanted.
planted in the ground
Sowing in the open field, on the other hand, begins in mid-April, when the temperature stabilizes above 10/15 degrees, if it gets colder, growth stops and the plants remain stunted. For outdoor planting, 2 or 3 seeds are placed for each post, 1.5 cm deep. Also remember in this case to put the tip of the seed at the bottom.
The sixth implant
Zucchini are planted at distances of at least 100 x 80 cm between plants, since they are demanding both in terms of space and nutrients, it is important that they are not placed too close to each other. others.
Rotation and association
Zucchini should be sown in rotation in the garden and not always in the same flower bed, both because it consumes a lot of nutrients and therefore it is better to give the soil time to recover, and because its Diseases (like powdery mildew) don’t come back dwarf every year. We recommend wait at least three years before replanting courgettes in the same plot and alternate them with plants from the legume family that can enrich the soil with nitrogen.