Earlier this month I shared a post on Facebook that said, “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a woman to garden and the whole neighborhood gets zucchini.” It’s funny, of course, but there’s a lot of truth to the statement as well–zucchini is a prolific grower! So, would you like to help feed your neighborhood this year? Read on to learn how to grow zucchini.
Can You Grow Zucchini from Seed?
If you’ve never grown zucchini before, you may be wondering if it’s better to start your plants from seed or transplant live seedlings. Either method will work, but it’s usually best to start your zucchini plants from seed.
Planting zucchini seeds directly in the garden will reduce the risk of damaging fragile young plants when transplanting.
Plus, zucchini has an impressively short growing season, so there’s no real need to start seeds indoors and transplant them, or to buy live plants. No matter when you plant your seeds, chances are they will be producing tons of zucchini within a couple of months.
Does Zucchini Grow Itself?
Many gardeners claim that zucchini pretty much grows itself because it is so easy to grow and produces fruit so prolifically.
There are things you can do to help your zucchini grow better and produce more, but there’s not a whole lot you have to do. If you’re brand new to gardening or don’t have a lot of extra time, follow the simple steps below and watch your zucchini plants work their magic!
Step 1: Prepare a Spot for Planting
Zucchini plants thrive in loose, well-draining soil. Dig some compost into the soil if desired. You can also fertilize with bone or blood meal, but this isn’t essential.
Hill up the soil by digging it into a shallow mound. You will plant three to four seeds per mound, so keep this in mind when determining how many mounds to create.
Step 2: Plant Seeds
Plant your zucchini seeds after all chances of frost have passed. Plant each seed up to 15 inches apart, three to four seeds per mound. Water the area thoroughly after planting.
You may want to add mulch around the area to help hold in the moisture and reduce weed growth, but this is an optional step. Seeds should begin to sprout within seven to ten days.
Step 3: Care for Plants
Zucchini plants don’t need a lot of care; you may need to water them in periods of dry weather, and watch out for pests such as squash bugs and vine borers. These pests can weaken or kill your plants.
If you spot these bugs on your plants or see clusters of shiny brown eggs on the leaves, consider using an organic pesticide, or spray your plants with a little dish soap mixed in water. To prevent vine borer infestation, wrap some aluminum foil around the base of your zucchini plant.
Step 4: Harvest Fruit
Zucchini grows fast and produces a lot of fruit. Depending on the variety, you’ll usually want to harvest your zucchinis when they’re about eight to ten inches long.
Keep a close eye on your fruits as they grow and develop. They may look too small to harvest one day and almost too large the next day. If your fruits grow a little larger than eight to ten inches, that’s okay; just make sure you don’t let them grow so large that they become tough and woody.
Step 5: Share with the Neighborhood!
As long as your plants don’t succumb to squash bugs or vine borers, they will produce a lot of zucchinis throughout the summer. If you have more than you can use, share it with any friends, family members, or neighbors willing to take it off your hands!
You can also dehydrate and powder any extra zucchini you have, turning it into zucchini flour. This can be used to replace one-third of the amount of flour in any recipe and allows you to preserve your home-grown goodness for months.
Start Your Fun Zucchini-Growing Adventure Today
Are you champing at the bit to plant your own zucchini? Find seeds for dark green zucchini, its close relative summer squash, and lots of other gardening essentials at Sarah’s Seed Shop today!
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