Climbing zucchini: plants, care and ideas for zucchini trellises

Climbing zucchini are ideal for space-saving vegetable cultivation - but they also need a lot of nutrients and plenty of water. The cost of maintenance should therefore not be underestimated. Interested parties can find out how it can be simpler and which climbing aids are suitable, as well as everything worth knowing, from choosing the location to harvesting.

Location

Climbing zucchini thrive in sunny to partially shaded locations. It should be noted that, depending on the variety chosen, it can reach a height of up to two meters. There should therefore be sufficient space at the top. It is advisable to plant at least two climbing zucchini. This benefits the yield of both plants.

substrate

The substrate for the climbing zucchini should be permeable, moderately water-retaining and nutrient-rich. Well suited as a basis are:

• garden soil
• compost soil
• plant soil
• vegetable soil

To enrich it with the required nutrients, well-rotted compost can be added, pre-fertilized soil can be used or a slow-release fertilizer can be mixed in.

sowing

The climbing zucchini can be sown between April and June. Pre-germination indoors is possible as early as March. The following steps are important in each case:

1. Cultivation soil is used as the substrate, with which the seeds are only lightly covered.
2. The substrate is kept slightly moist throughout.
3. Germination occurs fastest when the planter is in a bright place at temperatures between 18 and 25 °C. A window sill that is free of draughts, for example, is well suited.
4. As soon as the young plants have four leaves, they can be repotted in the substrate described above and taken outside. However, only on frost-free, warm days. If cold snaps are to be expected at night, such as during the Ice Saints, the plants should be brought back indoors. Planting outdoors is possible as soon as the temperatures no longer fall below 10 to 15 °C, even at night.

Plant

As an alternative to sowing your own, the climbing zucchini can also be purchased as a young plant. Although these cost a little more, they also require significantly less effort. Even with them, however, protection against late frost is required. Planting outdoors should therefore only take place at the end of May or beginning of June. With pot culture and appropriate daytime temperatures, the plants can be placed outside and are brought back indoors when temperatures drop.

Pour

The climbing courgettes, like their wide-growing relatives, grow very quickly and need plenty of water for this reason and because of the sunny location. Much of the liquid is also released through the large leaves. Especially in locations on the south side, many hours of sunshine or high temperatures, it must be watered daily. In addition to using water that is as soft and low in lime as possible, watering from below is important.

The leaves of the climbing zucchini should not be wetted when watering, as this quickly leads to burns and discoloration. The watering can is either placed just above the ground or a funnel can be used as a watering aid. Waterlogging is also to be avoided with the moisture-loving zucchini.

Fertilize

The climbing courgettes are heavy feeders and therefore require large amounts of nutrients. It is therefore important on the one hand to mix compost or fertilizer into the substrate when planting and on the other hand to repeat the fertilization if necessary. The second nutrient application can wait two to three months both when using compost and slow-release fertilizer. It is important to water the plants well after this measure. This ensures an even distribution of nutrients and prevents chemical burns on the roots.

climbing aids

Depending on the variety chosen, the climbing zucchini can reach heights of between 60 and 200 centimeters. You therefore need appropriate climbing aids. Due to the large and sometimes heavy fruits, the climbing aids should be stable and robust. In addition to the condition, the accessibility of the plants is also important. The fruiting shoots should be easily accessible from at least two sides. Otherwise, not only will the harvest be difficult, but the ventilation of the shoots and leaves will also be restricted. This, in turn, can increase the risk of pest and disease infestations.

Depending on the location and planting outdoors or in tubs, the following climbing aids can prove to be suitable:

wireframe

Wire grids are inexpensive and relatively easy to bend and cut – i.e. to adapt to local conditions. However, stable variants should be chosen so that the heavy courgettes do not lead to unintentional deformations.

ropes

Wire or rope - taut ropes can also be wonderfully adjusted. However, they are only suitable for locations that are at least partially covered, such as a balcony or terrace. For a stable attachment of the shoots, three ropes should be used per plant.

trellis

Made of wood or plastic, trellises are traditional climbing aids and are also suitable for climbing zucchini. However, plants and fruits are usually only accessible through them from one side. If you want to prevent this, you should direct the shoots to the back of the trellis at an early stage. To do this, the shoots are carefully guided through the openings.

rods

They are simple, easy to insert into the soil and allow free access to the zucchini from all sides. So that the sticks can serve as a stable climbing aid, at least two to three sticks made of robust plastic, bamboo or metal should be used per climbing zucchini.

tub culture

The climbing zucchini is also suitable for pot culture. So it can even be pulled on the balcony. However, with this type of culture, there are a few points to pay attention to:

volume

The planter should have a volume of at least ten liters. Smaller pots not only offer insufficient stability, but also increase the maintenance effort considerably. The larger the planter, the easier it is to take care of it.

Water

In a bucket, the climbing zucchini cannot provide itself with water as well as in the field. As a result, it needs to be watered more often. On very hot days it may even be necessary to water in the morning and evening. At the same time, waterlogging must be prevented as a matter of urgency. A shallow drainage layer or not having a planter can ensure this.

Fertilize

Since the climbing zucchini in the bucket has less substrate and therefore less nutrients available, fertilization becomes more important when cultivating in a planter. Suitable means are small amounts of compost, pond water, plant manure and vegetable fertilizer, which are given once a month until harvest.

waste

The one-year-old climbing zucchini does not need a blend. Only in the case of an infestation with pests or an infection by viruses or fungi should the affected leaves and shoots be cut off. A sharp knife or sharp scissors is used for this. The blades of the pruning tools are disinfected before and after use to prevent the transmission of pests or germs.

blossom

The climbing zucchini forms flowers relatively quickly. The flowers can be male or female and are always edible. If you want to harvest them and use them in salads or fill them, fry them or bake them, you should pay attention to the following points:

male flowers

They will not produce fruit and have a simple stem with no swelling. This makes the male flowers easy to spot and harvest without sacrificing yield.

female flowers

Female flowers should remain on the plant as they will produce fruit. A clear thickening can be seen on the stem directly behind the flower.

harvest time

In order for the female flowers to be fertilized, they need to be in close proximity to male flowers. So the male flowers should not be removed as soon as the buds open. It is better to wait a few days so that the pollen can reach the pistils of the female flowers. If you don't want to do without fertilization by insects, you can do it yourself with a brush.

harvest

The harvest of the climbing zucchini can begin as soon as the fruits have reached an appropriate size. When this time has come depends on the chosen species. As a rule, a length of 15 to 25 centimeters should be achieved. If they become significantly longer and thicker, the following problems can arise:

• Fruits become dry and partly woody
• the risk of cracked fruit increases
• the plant or shoots are burdened by the weight

It is therefore better to harvest gradually and not leave the fruits on the climbing zucchini for too long. With optimal care and suitable weather, the harvest time can extend into autumn.

Typical diseases and pests

Although zucchini is relatively resilient if cared for appropriately, there is still a risk of pests and diseases. Typical are:

snails

Snails pounce mainly on young plants and young shoots and can cause considerable damage to the climbing zucchini. They should therefore be removed immediately upon sighting. Slug pellets or snail traps can also help.

aphids

Although aphids do not appear particularly threatening, they can damage the climbing courgettes, leading to curled and deformed leaves and shoots and thus also affect the yield. If the pests themselves are noticeable on the plant, if a greasy black coating becomes visible or the deformations mentioned, appropriate countermeasures should be taken immediately.
This includes:

• the targeted release of ladybirds as natural predators
• spraying with commercial pesticides
• Spraying with nettle decoction

mildew

Powdery mildew is noticeable by white spots and coatings on the leaves. It weakens the plant and can therefore also have a negative effect on the yield. The following means and measures are effective:

• remove all severely affected leaves and shoots
• Use pesticides to control fungi
• use a mixture of 9-10 parts fresh whole milk and 1 part water to spritz the zucchini repeatedly

If you decide to use a solution of milk and water, leave it on for half an hour and then rinse off with clear water. The application is to be sprayed on every three days until the mildew has disappeared.

yellow mosaic virus

This viral infection is indicated by several symptoms. Below:

• yellow spots on the leaves
• weaker growth
• stunted leaves and shoots
• malformed fruits

If left untreated, the yellow mosaic virus will kill the plant. Prevention is possible by preventing or quickly eliminating an aphid infestation, because the pests can transmit the virus. Choosing resistant climbing zucchini varieties can also prevent the disease.

Typical maintenance mistakes

Apart from frequent watering and coordinated fertilization, the climbing zucchini is relatively easy to care for and resilient. However, mistakes in culture can lead to the crop becoming more susceptible to diseases and pests or, in the event of an infestation, suffering significant damage more quickly. Proper care is therefore also part of the preventive measures against infections and parasites. Above all, the following care mistakes should be avoided urgently:

• too little fluid intake
• Waterlogging due to lack of drainage or non-existent drain
• insufficient nutrient intake
• shady location
• no protection against frost

If there is reduced growth, discoloration or if the plant even looks wilted, the conditions at the location and the culture should be checked accordingly.

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