How to Grow Zucchini in Your Own Garden

Zucchini is a widely used summer squash that is green in color, with a long and oblong shape. It’s popular in different parts of the world, like Italy and the United States. It’s also well-known in France where they are referred to as courgettes, and often called vegetable marrow in the United Kingdom.

An interesting bit of trivia about zucchini is that it is actually a fruit, and it grows on a female zucchini flower as its swollen ovary. It belongs to the family of cucumber and melon. Zucchini adds flavor and is easy to include in various recipes, whether in breads, side dishes, desserts or casseroles which is why it’s a popular choice for many chefs.

These summer squash will take up a very small amount of space in your garden and if picked routinely, will produce in abundance right up to the first frost. Those new to growing this fruit will find that if you prepare the right soil and light combination this plant is quite easy to care for.

Zucchini is known to flourish during the months of May till August, and you can get many different varieties. The “Globe” and the “Golden Zucchini” are two of the most recent types that you can choose from. Both types are appealing and enhance meal arrangement; however, the “Globe” is little and round, while the “Golden Zucchini” is very mild.

Other varieties available are the Sweet Gourmet, which is of a light green color and produces abundantly. There’s also the Gadzukes variety, which is very good for smaller gardens as it only needs a little space to grow. One other variety is the Black Beauty, which is named accordingly – it appears dark in color.

In planting zucchini seeds, the first step is to prepare the soil. Make sure that it is loose, rich with fertilizer and drained well with a pH level of around 6.0. Temperature should also be taken into consideration. If you live in a cold area with a lot of frost, it is advisable to start the seeds in a room where the temperature is at least sixty degrees Fahrenheit.

Sow the seeds 4″ apart and place the growing contain in a position where it will receive full sunlight. Within 10-12 days you should see the seedlings begin to sprout, but do not transplant them until they are about 3″ tall.

Zucchini plants love warm soil so if you live in a cool climate cover your garden area with black plastic bags BEFORE you sow the seeds. In a few days the soil should have warmed up and trapped the warm air near the ground. You can also add some dark-colored mulch to help maintain the warmth similar to the way the black bags do.

Monitor the plants constantly as soon as you see them start to bloom. The average harvest time for the zucchini plant is about seven to nine weeks, and the young zucchini fruits are tastier and tender than a more mature fruit.

It’s also a good idea to pick your zucchinis frequently. The more they are picked, the more they are encouraged to grow. If you do this, you might very well be having a season-long harvest. When your initial harvest is done, you can also use the bigger squashes as ingredients in bread recipes or even as decoration.

Susan Morgan loves writing on vegetable gardening and home gardens. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to read another on how to grow zucchini.