How to: Prefer zucchini

Courgettes are not only delicious and versatile, they are also very easy to care for. Zucchini can be preferred so that the delicious summer vegetables can be harvested earlier. But when and how do you prefer the vegetables?

Why choose zucchini?

The zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L. var. giromontiina) belongs to the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae) and can be sown directly in the field or grown. Since it is very sensitive to the cold, it can only be sown outdoors after the night frosts have ended, around mid-May. If you prefer the plants in the house beforehand, you can plant larger plants in May and collect harvest yields faster. Larger plants also have a higher chance of survival if they are attacked by snails.

How to: Prefer zucchini

Preferring zucchini is pretty straightforward. All you need is

• a min. 8 cm large flower pot with drainage hole (the larger the pot, the faster the zucchini grow)
• Flower, garden or potting soil, not too rich in nutrients
• Zucchini seeds

Tip: For the sake of the environment, use coconut pots. These can simply be planted after pulling them forward. Old yoghurt pots or egg cartons are also suitable as flower pots.

The ideal place for preparing zucchini is easy to find. Simply place the pot on a sunny windowsill indoors or grow the seeds in a heated greenhouse. Start pre-breeding around mid-April and proceed as follows:

1. Fill the flower pot halfway with soil
2. Put seeds in and cover with two to three centimeters of soil
3. Germination temperature initially 20 to 22 degrees
4. Seeds develop roots after about one to two weeks; they germinate faster with a cover
5. If there are several seedlings in one pot, only leave the strongest one; remove the others by hand
6. After germination, fill the pot with soil
7. Temperature after germination between 15 and 18 degrees
8. Always keep seedlings moist with a spray bottle

Tip: Occasionally move larger plants outside for a few hours to get them used to the changeable outdoor conditions.

Plant out the zucchini

You can then move the pre-grown zucchini plants outdoors after the ice saints from around mid-May. Then, as a rule, there is no longer any threat of night frosts that ruin the work. Ideally, the four-week-old seedlings have now developed two leaves. Carefully remove the plants from the pot and put them in the intended place. However, pay attention to the following points when planting

• Distance of 100 x 100 or 120 x 80 centimeters
• At least two zucchini plants are required in one bed for mutual pollination
• Do not place young plants next to old ones to avoid diseases like real ones mildew to avoid
• no waterlogging
• sunny to partially shaded and warm location

Then about six to eight weeks after planting the seedlings you can first Harvest zucchini.

Tip: You can also grow small and early zucchini varieties on the balcony. Just make sure you have a sufficiently large flower pot and water the plants regularly.

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