Zuchini Tips & Tricks

 Introduction

Zuchini – also called courgettes or marrows – are a really prolific vegetable to grow at home. Here are some tips and tricks for growing  zuchini in GreenSmart pots. The mature plants will take up quite a lot of space so allow room for 1.5 x 1.5 m.

Zuchini Growing Conditions

In most areas of NZ you will be able to plant zuchini from September to February. If growing from seedlings – allow for two plants per pot but be very careful to not damage the roots while transplanting them. If planting seeds then plant 5-6 seeds at a depth of three times the seed size. The seeds will germinate in 4-8 days. When they are about 8 cm high, remove the weaker seedlings so that the two strongest seedlings remain. Position the pot in full sunshine.

Fertiliser

They are heavy nitrogen users so make sure that you include plenty of nitrogen in with the potting mix. We supply a $5 pre-pack of Dynamic Lifter, blood and bone, lime & dolomite.

Yates Dynamic Lifter. http://www.yates.co.nz/products/fertilising/organic-based/dynamic-lifter-organic-plant-food/

Tui blood and bone http://www.tuigarden.co.nz/product/tui-blood-bone

 

Pests & Diseases

It is better to add water directly into the self watering spout to avoid splashing water onto the leaves which encourages mildew .

Remove any leaves as soon as you see the first spotty signs. This should help to slow the spread of the disease and buy some time. Throw any affected foliage away in household rubbish – DO NOT compost or you’ll spread spores back through your garden. You can spray powdery mildew in the early stages with Baking soda spray  but, given the size of a zucchini, this can be impractical.

If the ends of your zucchini get soft before they are fully grown, this is caused by Squash Blossom End Rot and is a symptom of a calcium deficiency. Read this article on “Squash Blossom End Rot Causes And Treatment” for more information.

Companions

Suggestions : corn, climbing beans, nasturtium.

Harvesting

Cut the stalk or twist to break off. Regular harvesting encourages more growth. If they are left for too long they can rapidly get over-sized.