Sow zucchini in pots, open ground and raised beds

The zucchini is an easy vegetable that produces plentiful yields. Depending on where it is sown, the harvest can be brought forward a few weeks.

Sow zucchini in the pot

The best time to pick zucchini (Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo convar. Giromontiina) preferable in pots is early to mid April. If the zucchini is brought forward too early, the vitality of the young plants suffers. This is due to the poorer light conditions in early spring and the rapid growth of the plants.

Instructions

• use one pot (10cm diameter is best) per plant
• Separation is therefore not necessary
• Fill in potting soil or finely sieved compost
• leave three to four centimeters space to the edge of the pot
• Place seeds individually in the ground
• Fill up the substrate, press down and moisten thoroughly
• put on a bright window sill
• Midday sun could dry out the soil
• at 20 degrees it takes about a week
• if the temperature is too cold, germination is delayed

Sow zucchini directly in open ground

Since zucchini grow quickly, it is possible to sow them directly in open ground. It should be noted, however, that the plants are not frost-resistant. Therefore, sowing should only take place after the last night frosts in mid or late May.

A notice: The seeds must be well covered with soil, otherwise birds or rodents could eat them before they germinate.

Instructions

Prepare bed

A good supply of nutrients is very important for the zucchini, because they are heavy feeders. The bed is best prepared in the previous autumn. To do this, loosen the soil thoroughly and incorporate rotted stable manure or compost. Then flatten the substrate and remove larger stones and weeds.

Zucchini also grows well right on top of the compost heap or a hill bed. For a simple raised bed, pile different plant material into a loose pile and cover with good garden soil. As the material inside rots, nutrients are released for the zucchini growing on it, and the earth also warms.

sowing seeds

Approximately one square meter of space must be allowed for each plant. The seeds are thus distance of one meter stuck in the ground, three to four centimeters deep. Then the soil is pressed well over the seed and the area is thoroughly watered. Two or three seeds can be sown in the same spot to improve germination. Once the plants two foliage leaves in addition to the cotyledons, the weakest zucchini plants are removed and only the strongest remain in the bed.

mulch bed

To avoid drying out, it makes sense to mulch the bed around the seed with leaves, grass clippings or similar.

A notice: The seeds usually germinate within a few days if the soil is warm enough.

Sowing in raised beds

Sowing zucchini in a raised bed is like sowing outdoors. However, there is a difference if the raised bed is also used as a cold frame with an appropriate attachment or foil. Then the cultivation of the zucchini can be brought forward and the harvest happens faster.

Instructions

• prepare the raised bed for sowing
• Loosen the soil thoroughly, remove weeds
• Space requirement also in the raised bed around one square meter per plant
• Plant the seeds about three to four centimeters deep in the soil at the end of April to mid-May
• press well and water
• Mulch the soil around the seed, do not let the soil dry out
• Depending on the temperature, germination takes a few days to a week
• if several seeds are used, after the formation of the first foliage leaves only the strongest plant left standing

frequently asked Questions