Zucchini is a favored summer squash of many people. It can be cooked in many different dishes, including breads. It is renowned for being easy to grow, and producing abundant crops. However, it does not grow itself, and one needs to be aware of a few simple tips, to improve chances for success when growing zucchini.
Planting Tips
Make sure that the last frost is gone, before you begin to plant. This will depend on which zone that you live in. You should not need to plant a great deal of seeds, but it is always safe to plant more than you think you will need. Four or five plants may be enough for a family, but ten or fifteen may be a good amount to plant, as this will allow for unexpected things.
Get the ground ready by breaking the soil and turning it over. This is easily done with a garden tiller, but you may not have one. You also can use a spade, hoe, or shovel, to break up the ground, and throw in some top soil. You can buy several bags at your local garden center, and it is not expensive.
Plant your seeds in several hills or mounds. Most people put four to five seeds to a hill and later thin them to two plants. Hills should be about eighteen inches or 46 cm apart. Cover your seeds with a small amount of soil, and then mulch the entire area with straw or grass clippings. This keeps the seeds from drying out, before germination.
Common Problems
Even though growing zucchini is fairly easy, there may be times when you get poor production. This can be caused by insufficient bees for pollination. If you do not notice any bees around, you can hand pollinate. Take a cotton swab and transfer it from one flower to another, until you pollinate all of them.
In hot humid conditions, your plants may start to wilt. This may be caused by bacteria or fungus that is allowed to grow in damp conditions. It is best to use a fungicide, and if you want a natural one, consider milk. Fill a garden hose fertilizer container with milk, and spray it on the plants a couple of times per week.
Sometimes the blossoms on the plants may begin falling off, and this may concern you. However, at least half of the blooms are supposed to fall off and not produce fruit. Only the female blooms stay on, and after the make blossoms provide pollen, they are no longer needed. However, if most of the blooms fall, consider manual pollination.
Summary
If you considering growing zucchini at home, a few simple tips can make it easier. Plant about ten hills or so. Break the ground up well and add a few bags of fresh top soil. This will apply necessary nutrients to the ground. If you notice wilting, try applying a natural fungicide like whole milk. If half your blooms are falling off, it is normal. However, if most of them are falling, hand pollinating may help.
Planting Tips
Make sure that the last frost is gone, before you begin to plant. This will depend on which zone that you live in. You should not need to plant a great deal of seeds, but it is always safe to plant more than you think you will need. Four or five plants may be enough for a family, but ten or fifteen may be a good amount to plant, as this will allow for unexpected things.
Get the ground ready by breaking the soil and turning it over. This is easily done with a garden tiller, but you may not have one. You also can use a spade, hoe, or shovel, to break up the ground, and throw in some top soil. You can buy several bags at your local garden center, and it is not expensive.
Plant your seeds in several hills or mounds. Most people put four to five seeds to a hill and later thin them to two plants. Hills should be about eighteen inches or 46 cm apart. Cover your seeds with a small amount of soil, and then mulch the entire area with straw or grass clippings. This keeps the seeds from drying out, before germination.
Common Problems
Even though growing zucchini is fairly easy, there may be times when you get poor production. This can be caused by insufficient bees for pollination. If you do not notice any bees around, you can hand pollinate. Take a cotton swab and transfer it from one flower to another, until you pollinate all of them.
In hot humid conditions, your plants may start to wilt. This may be caused by bacteria or fungus that is allowed to grow in damp conditions. It is best to use a fungicide, and if you want a natural one, consider milk. Fill a garden hose fertilizer container with milk, and spray it on the plants a couple of times per week.
Sometimes the blossoms on the plants may begin falling off, and this may concern you. However, at least half of the blooms are supposed to fall off and not produce fruit. Only the female blooms stay on, and after the make blossoms provide pollen, they are no longer needed. However, if most of the blooms fall, consider manual pollination.
Summary
If you considering growing zucchini at home, a few simple tips can make it easier. Plant about ten hills or so. Break the ground up well and add a few bags of fresh top soil. This will apply necessary nutrients to the ground. If you notice wilting, try applying a natural fungicide like whole milk. If half your blooms are falling off, it is normal. However, if most of them are falling, hand pollinating may help.
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