Courgettes. Cultivation and care - everything you need to know the vegetable grower

Zucchini - a fairly common culture in our latitudes. They are unpretentious to the conditions of growth, while they have a sufficiently high fertility. If you are just starting your way in growing vegetables, then first of all try to plant zucchini in your summer cottage, cultivation and care of which do not require much effort. It should be noted that zucchini can be planted directly in the ground, or initially grow seedlings, which will allow a few weeks earlier to get the first harvest.

Growing zucchini in the open ground

The seed is planted in the soil in late April and early May. In principle, we should start from the natural conditions: if there are still freezes, then it is not worth hurrying to land. Prepare the soil in advance: dig it and thoroughly loosen it. If necessary, add compost and humus to it. Pay attention to how much harvest you need to get. If you are going to feed zucchini only the family, then it's enough to plant 5-6 seeds, which will bring you a moderate amount of fruit. But if your plans are more ambitious, for example, you want to feed zucchini domestic animals or sell, then plant more. Although, no matter how much you planted, the question of where to put the whole crop, will still rise.

2-3 days before planting, soak the seeds in water, first putting them in a gauze pouch. When the soil is ready, seed the seeds at a distance of 70-80 cm from each other. Fill the bed, then cover it with a film. This will allow the earth to warm up better. The film can be replaced with plastic bottles, which cut off the neck. They need to cover every hole. By the way, such a shelter will save the planting from frost, which may accidentally come on. When there are sprouts, film and bottles can be removed. If the nights are still very cold, then for this period of the day shelter should be left. Further care is reduced to timely weeding and moderate (if necessary) watering. As you can see, there is nothing difficult to breed zucchini in your area. Growing and caring for them is minimal, but the harvest will be good.

Growing zucchini seedlings

If you want to harvest at an earlier time, then first you need to grow zucchini seedlings. The easiest way to do this is in the apartment, but if possible, it's best in the greenhouse. It should be noted that zucchini seedlings, as well as other families of pumpkin plants, take root with difficulty, so it is most convenient to grow it in peat cups or in ordinary plastic cups that do not have a bottom. In each glass, plant 1-2 seeds and put in a warm place (on the windowsill). Spray the seedlings as the land dries up, though only with warm water. The calculation is approximately the following: 1 liter of water for 8-9 cups. Seedlings need to be fed twice: the first time a week after the shoots, and the second - a week later.

In the open ground seedlings are planted without extraction from the cups. The glass with the plant is immersed 2-3 cm below the ground level, after which it is well crushed by the soil. While the seedling has not yet taken root, it should be covered with a film or plastic bottles. Thanks to the seedlings, you will be able to collect zucchini much earlier. Cultivation and care of seedlings, planted in the ground, described above.

And now think about how you will use zucchini. Growing up and leaving have played the business, now the main thing remains. First, some types of zucchini are delicious to eat raw. Also this vegetable can be fried, stewed, made from it by sunset for the winter. Adult fresh zucchini fruits can be stored in a cool place almost until the winter, and sometimes longer. And, of course, zucchini can be sold, especially if they are young and not overripe.