When to plant zucchini for seedlings and how to do it
Miscellaneous / / April 03, 2023
You can get ready-made seedlings in about a month.
Often people sow zucchini seeds directly into the ground and get a good harvest. However, the seedling method of growing this crop allows you to taste the fruits about two weeks earlier.
When to plant zucchini for seedlings
This crop grows quickly, so you should not rush to sow seeds. The optimal age of seedlings for transplanting into open ground is 20–25 days. At the same time, the soil on the site should warm up to at least 13 degrees, and the daily air temperature should reach 18–20 degrees. Therefore, be guided by the climatic features of your region and sow zucchini no earlier than a month before the onset of spring heat.
For example, in the south, zucchini can be transplanted into the ground as early as May, so they have been preparing sprouts since the end of March. In the middle lane, seeds are sown in the second half of April, and in the north - not earlier than the first half of May.
How to choose zucchini seeds
Zucchini have different ripening periods. Early-ripening crops can be harvested after 35-45 days from the moment of germination, mid-ripening - after 50-60 days, late - after 90-120 days. Early fruits are best eaten immediately, but if you plan to stock up for the winter, plant mid-ripening or late varieties.
There are varieties and hybrids that are labeled F1 next to the name. The latter usually give more harvest and are more resistant to diseases, pests and adverse weather.
Also, zucchini differ in the shape of the plant. Climbers produce long shoots and capture large areas of the site. Bush grow compactly and will be especially useful if there is not enough space in the beds.
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Climbing zucchini. Frame: Harvest garden / YouTube
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Bush squash. Frame: Garden, vegetable garden, DIY / YouTube
And the fruits of zucchini come in different sizes, shapes and colors - for example, yellow, white, light green, green or striped.
How to plant zucchini for seedlings
Zucchini seeds usually germinate well without pre-soaking, so start sowing right away.
Prepare seed containers
Zucchini seedlings do not tolerate a pick, and therefore you should not sow them in common containers in several pieces. It is better to take separate plastic cups or pots with a volume of at least 200 ml. Make sure that there are drainage holes at the bottom of the container (they can be made with a heated awl or soldering iron).
Zucchini is suitable for universal soil for growing seedlings of vegetables. Fill the cups with soil, without filling up to the edge of about 1 cm.
Sow zucchini
In the ground, make a hole 1.5 cm deep in the center of each cup.
Place a seed in each and sprinkle them with soil.
Moisten the crops abundantly with water from a spray bottle.
Cover the containers with a transparent bag or cling film to create Greenhouse effect. Put the crops in a warm place with a temperature of about 23-25 degrees.
Wait for shoots
They will appear in about 5-7 days. As soon as you see sprouts, remove the cover from the crops and place the cups on a light windowsill. As a rule, in April-May, daylight hours are already quite long. But if there is not enough sun, place zucchini under phytolamps or ordinary fluorescent lamps with a power of at least 36 W per 1 m² and turn them on for 12 hours a day. It is also worth lowering the temperature in the room to 18–22 degrees so that the seedlings do not stretch out.
How to care for zucchini seedlings
The main thing is to give the plants water and fertilizers on time.
Water the seedlings
This culture needs constant moisture, so do not allow the entire earthen clod to dry out in a seedling cup, but do not turn the soil into a swamp. Water the zucchini when the surface of the soil is slightly dry. Usually this is done every 3-4 days, but it all depends on the temperature and humidity level in room.
Feed your zucchini
Seedlings will need only two top dressing. The first one is done 7-10 days after germination. A week later, the second time. For this, complex mineral fertilizers for seedlings of vegetables are suitable. The method of preparing the solution and the consumption rate are indicated on the package and vary depending on the manufacturer.
You can also take a fertilizer with a uniform distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For example, dilute 1 g of nitroammofoska in 1 liter of water and water the plants under the root. One zucchini will need about 50 ml of nutrient solution.
When to plant seedlings of zucchini in open ground
Wait until the soil warms up to 13 degrees, the daytime temperature will be at least 18 degrees and the threat of return frosts will go away. In the south, such conditions develop in late April - early May, in the middle lane - in the second half of May, in the north - in late May - early June.
Also pay attention to the appearance of the seedlings. Zucchini should produce 2-4 true leaves. This usually happens 20-25 days after emergence.
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