In addition, the zucchini is very productive - a single plant produces a large number of fruits. And that with a length of 15-20 cm. So zucchini in a pot?
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I've tried it.
I've been a hobby gardener on balconies for four years. Besides having flowers too Balcony tomatoes and strawberries. Now I want to try growing zucchini. After all, as the owner of a south-facing balcony, I have the ideal conditions for the sun-hungry zucchini.
What types
The first thing I did was to inquire about suitable varieties. It is important that the plant does not get too big. Varieties that climb upwards or grow compactly are well suited. The varieties Black Forest F1, Patiostar F1, Summer Ball F1 and the mini zucchini piccolo are available for the pot.
I decided on the Black Forest F1 variety with large yellow flowers and classic green fruits. I got the preferred seed from the garden market. Online shipping also offers a large selection.
Flower box or tub?
I had to pay attention to the pot size. This should be at least 15 liters in order to give the plant a good hold and after watering the pot should not be too heavy. So I got a painter's bucket with a diameter of 40 cm from the hardware store. For the irrigation water I drilled a small drainage hole in the ground and covered it with a pottery shard.
I filled the bucket with a mixture of nutrient-rich soil (also from the hardware store) and some compost (from my parents' garden). This ensured that there was enough fertilizer.
It started with growing the zucchini plant
The bag of seeds contained seven seeds. At the end of April I put 2 seeds each in two small pots filled with soil. In their place on the kitchen windowsill, the seeds had enough light to germinate, which only lasted ten days. Instead of using the watering can, I kept the soil moist with the spray bottle.
I was lucky, all the seeds were sprouting. But I only left the stronger of the two seedlings standing. At the end of May the ice saints were over and I was able to repot one of the plants in the prepared tub on the sunny balcony. I gave away the second plant.
Since the "Black Forest F1" is a climbing variety, I pulled ropes up along the balcony wall as a climbing aid. Now all I had to do was water, admire the yellow flowers and watch the fruits grow. My balcony was safe from the voracious and also from the dreaded mildew my little plant was spared.
8 weeks after planting out the time had come
I was able to get my first two zucchini to harvest - 15 cm large, dark green and oblong fruits with tender pulp. They were immediately processed into delicious, steamed vegetables. More fruits are growing and the plant is busy developing new flowers, which promises me a rich harvest.
The zucchini-in-a-pot experiment paid off
... and almost no work done. I already know what will happen to the next harvest: grilled zucchini, stuffed zucchini, lettuce. Fried or stuffed zucchini blossoms are supposed to be a real delicacy. Maybe I'll try that out. Welcome to the next balcony party.
