In the last 10-12 years, the popularity of such a vegetable as zucchini has increased significantly. And this trend is not at all accidental. In fact, zucchini is a valuable culture, it is worth talking not only about the benefits and taste. But also indicate the hypoallergenicity of the vegetable. Zucchini is shown even to babies under the age of 6 months, people suffering from allergies and gastrointestinal diseases. And on the basis of this vegetable, you can cook a whole hundred of tasty and healthy dishes.
Some people love to eat zucchini, while others consider this vegetable as great way earn, due to increased demand. Growing zucchini is not that difficult. The culture is not too tender and even a specialist in this industry can cope with this task. There are varieties that ripen early and quickly, and early vegetables cost much more. Even in connection with high level competition in this industry, it is worth doing this business, but first you need to take into account some of the nuances.
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Plot rental.
Growing zucchini requires compliance with agricultural technologies. It is better to choose a plot for growing crops in the farm zone. The vegetable is not too drought-resistant and requires regular watering. This point must be taken into account when choosing land. It is most profitable to plant zucchini after potatoes, onions, legumes, cabbage, green crops. After pumpkin and cucumbers, it is better not to do this, then the yield can be significantly reduced. The soil is better to choose sandy loam with mineral dressings or neutral. On clay soils, the required yield cannot be achieved.
Before planting a vegetable, it is necessary to plow the soil in the fall, to a level of 20 to 25 cm. After that, the mail is processed with heavy disc furrows, and peeling is carried out in heavily clogged areas. Also in the fall, ridges are cut, and in the spring they are already treated with furrows. This achieves perfect loosening of the soil.
The cost of renting land will depend on many factors. First of all, they pay attention to the area, terrain and the level of soil fertility. In particular, the price range can vary greatly from $7 to several hundred per 1 ha. On average, you should count on the amount of about $ 1.2 thousand.
Equipment.
To care for zucchini, a minimum set of agricultural equipment is required.
These are equipment for plowing, harrowing, peeling, planting and harvesting:
1. Harrows - from $ 900;
2. Plowers - from $1.5 thousand;
3. Plows - from $1,000;
4. Cultivator - from $ 700;
5. Sprayers - from $2,000;
6. Disc mulcher - from $600;
7. Tractor - $ 20 thousand.
In total, about $30,000 for the purchase of agricultural machinery.
In order to quickly pay off the initial investment, this technique and equipment can be rented out.
Raw material.
For growing zucchini, seeds and mineral fertilizer are needed. Fertilizers are applied in autumn and immediately before sowing. It is best to use manure or humus in combination with mineral fertilizers. If the soil is not too suitable for growing zucchini, then consult with experts to obtain the required level of yield.
When choosing seeds for growing zucchini, first of all, pay attention to the country of origin. Hybrid seeds are bred in the west. Domestic seeds are better suited for growing in the western and central parts of our state. Imported ones are ideal for the south. Experts recommend using a domestic product, since the yield is an order of magnitude higher. Such products are resistant to storage and transportation. The following varieties are especially popular: Apollo, Gribovsky, Masha, Bely, Roller, Zebra and others.
The number of plants per 1 ha of land can vary from 10 to 35 thousand seeds. The seeding rate per hectare is from 3 to 5 kg. The cost of seeds per 1 kg will be from $ 8 to $ 200, depending on the variety. In total, it is worth counting on the purchase of seeds and mineral fertilizers for at least $2,000.
Staff.
Specialized, knowledgeable personnel are needed to care for zucchini. The work will be seasonal, so people are invited to work during the planting, ripening and harvesting period. More agricultural machinery guarantees less need for hiring labor. We need agronomists and workers.
We also need a tractor driver. Personnel must be hired responsible and with experience in the industry. The worker staff will consist of 7 to 20 people, depending on the size of the site. The agronomist will be responsible for the quality of crop growth, control the yield, and be responsible for the quality of the work performed by the staff. On the wages personnel need to allocate at least $5,000.
To promote your own services, you should use the services of specialized print media and place external advertising. You can also create a website. A website-page is enough to promote your services.
You can engage and offer goods on the forums. But the greatest effectiveness of advertising can be achieved by visiting directly to potential customers. These are cold calls, making appointments and signing agreements. Considering that you will have to invest a lot of your own efforts and resources, it is worth allocating at least $ 150-200 for advertising and promotion of services.
Basic costs.
The main costs when organizing a business for growing zucchini include the following expenses:
1. Rent of premises - not less than 1.2 thousand $;
2. Machinery and equipment - $30 thousand;
3. Raw materials - 2 thousand $;
In total, it is necessary to have a budget of about $ 35 thousand to organize a business for growing such a vegetable crop as zucchini.
Profit, profitability.
Profitability this business, with skillful organization, can reach 200%. Bulk prices for an early harvest will be $0.38, and the June harvest will already cost within $0.11. The yield per 1 ha will fluctuate within 80 thousand kg. In this case, you can expect a profit of at least $9,000. If you rented land of at least 5 hectares, then you can safely count on the full payback of the initial investment in one season.
Clients and business development.
The clients of this type of business will be wholesale bases, retail outlets and the market. As a business development, you can offer customers grown zucchini in greenhouses, but such an action will require additional investments. You can also grow additional crops or fresh herbs.
"Vechorka" continues the "Academy of Farming" section. This time we will talk about the production of zucchini - a crop that grows well in our area not only in closed, but also in open ground.
November is in the yard, and the hottest days for agricultural producers are behind. This is how the city dweller thinks and ... he is deeply mistaken. Yes, the crop is harvested. But ahead is an equally important task after harvesting: to sell products on time. Especially when it comes to perishable vegetables.
Promising product
Every summer resident, and indeed anyone who has ever been to vegetable gardens in central Russia, knows that zucchini is one of the most unpretentious crops. Compared to capricious tomatoes, heat-loving peppers and cucumbers, zucchini behave peacefully. They grow slowly, requiring only minimal care.
And for the preparation of canned food, they are used no less than other vegetables; recipes delicious preparations countless with zucchini. Not to mention the dish, in which this culture dominates, about squash caviar.
Zucchini is grown not only in vegetable gardens, but also on an industrial scale, for the needs of canning factories. We learned how to start a zucchini growing business from Mikhail Novichkov, the head of a farm in the Ryazhsky district.
Mikhail Viktorovich is only 29 years old. He has been making zucchini since his student days. While still a senior student at the Faculty of Law of the Russian State University. S. Yesenin, he understood that in the future it was necessary to look for a career niche freer than jurisprudence ...
And finally decided. Together with a friend, I rented 5 hectares of collective farm land, found equipment through acquaintances and set to work during the holidays.
Why zucchini? The reason is quite simple: next to Mikhail's parental home is the Ryazhsky Pogrebok plant. Every Ryazan knows their squash caviar. The novice farmer was counting on the stability of this enterprise, because a constant sales market for a vegetable grower is necessary.
True, over time it turned out that one could not even rely on, as it seemed before, stable production ... But first things first.
We calculate the costs
Now Mikhail already has 60 hectares of land. The farmer rents most of the land, and bought a smaller part of the land a few years ago.
It is, in principle, easier for a novice agricultural producer to rent land - what if it doesn’t work out? So we, in our "Academy of Farming", will focus on this option and take into account that the cost of renting land in the Ryazhsky district is about 8,700 rubles per year for 50 hectares.
Following the farmland, you need to acquire equipment, and here the costs will be the most impressive. To process a plot of 60 hectares, two tractors plus the necessary nozzles will be required. At present, the Belarus tractor alone costs 1.2 million rubles.
Our hero was lucky: two years ago, a farmer from the Ryazhsky district received a grant of 1.5 million rubles and with this money (at prices two years ago) he was able to immediately purchase a tractor, a loader and a plow.
Fuel costs are also high. Soil cultivation begins in the fall, at which time the land needs to be plowed. In the spring, the site is harrowed and cultivated (levelled). Taking into account the summer work on harrowing for the entire season, diesel fuel (when processing 60 hectares) will take 250 thousand rubles.
Of all the varieties, Mikhail chose the Gribovsky zucchini variety - one of the most common and popular. Seeds cost 600 rubles per kilo, about 3.5 kilograms are needed per 1 hectare. Thus, Novichkov needs 126,000 rubles to purchase seeds for his plot.
The next item of expenditure is fertilizers. This year, both at Mikhail Novichkov’s, and throughout the Ryazan region, and throughout the country as a whole, vegetables will be extremely clean ... The fact is that prices for fertilizers after the fall of the ruble rose so much that farmers either drastically reduced their use, or completely abandoned chemistry. But everyone wants a good harvest ... So sooner or later, but you will have to return to these expenses.
Zucchini per season requires only one treatment with herbicides: so that there are no weeds, the site is sprayed a couple of days after sowing. For 60 hectares at current prices, it will take 60 thousand rubles.
In addition, saltpeter treatment is also needed - to saturate the soil with nitrogen. And here it will be necessary to allocate 200 thousand from the budget of the enterprise. For a sprayer - another 80 thousand rubles.
A hard-to-predict item of expenditure when growing zucchini is spending on workers.
- It is very difficult to find people for seasonal work, - explains Mikhail Viktorovich. - For example, this year I did not manage to find workers for hilling zucchini. I was ready to pay, but no one wanted to work ... Of course, the productivity fell because of this.
Still, there were people to clean up. As for expenses, according to the farmer, 1 ruble per kilogram of harvested vegetables is considered a good price. With a yield of 300 centners per hectare, we get 1,800 tons of zucchini, that is, 1.8 million rubles for harvesting.
Now add up all the above costs - from land rent to employees' salaries. In total, more than 5 million rubles will turn out, and this is without taking into account the work of two tractor drivers.
Benefit with reservations
Now let's calculate the potential profit. Mikhail Novichkov delivers zucchini to the Ryazhsky Pogrebok plant at 3.7 rubles per kilo. Collected 1.8 thousand tons is 6.66 million rubles. Considering that more than five million were spent, the benefit is obvious. If not for two "buts".
First, the costs in practice can be much higher. Offhand, we did not take into account taxes and operating costs for the maintenance of equipment. Secondly, when Mikhail will receive money for the products, he himself does not know for sure yet.
I can't pay my employees! The zucchini was shipped, but the plant did not pay the money in full, there are still 4.5 million left, - the Ryazha farmer laments. - At best, they will not be able to pay me off until March. This, by the way, was the case in previous years as well.
While Mikhail is waiting for payment for the shipped goods, he is forced to pay interest on the loan he took earlier, although he could have fully paid off the bank this fall.
At the same time, in theory, our farmer had the opportunity to earn more ...
- If you start harvesting at the end of July, then in August new zucchini will grow. So, it will be possible to harvest two crops per season, - says Mikhail Novichkov. - Of course, the second harvest will be less than the first. But in total, the average yield will no longer be 300, but 400 centners per hectare!
According to the most approximate estimates, it turns out that by harvesting only one crop, the farmer loses more than two million rubles of profit. And he would collect two without hesitation! But for some reason, traditionally in August at the plant there are no cans for canning, then lids, then vegetable oil runs out ... And they take zucchini not earlier than September.
How to protect yourself from such troubles? Ideally, look for other buyers. True, then in the case of the Novichkov farm, transportation costs will also be added to other cost items. In neighboring regions, there are many factories that process zucchini. And the money paid for the products is quite acceptable. But the delivery of goods to another region "eats" about 1.5 rubles per kilogram ...
In any case, growing zucchini is a promising occupation. We love this vegetable. But for a novice farmer, it would probably be better to either find several options for marketing, or, in parallel with zucchini, cultivate other vegetables. So it will be more reliable.
REFERENCE "VR" According to the calculations of economists of the regional Ministry of Agriculture, the organization of an open-ground vegetable farm with a conditional area of 50 hectares in the first year will require 15-17 million rubles. investments - with a minimum set of equipment. Annual operating costs will amount to 5-6 million rubles a year. The investment will pay off in the third year. Most of the costs will be for the acquisition planting material, fuels and lubricants, fertilizers and plant protection products.
Even 10-15 years ago, zucchini was mainly grown on household plots for their own needs, and in countryside Most of the fruits were used as animal feed. Vegetable farms grew this crop almost exclusively for processing (at the same time they harvested large fruits that were sent to canneries for caviar production). At the moment, the situation has changed: in large supermarkets, young zucchini fruits can be seen almost all year round. This vegetable is not only in great demand, but has also become a good income for farms.
ADVANTAGES OF Zucchini
Of course, the fruits of zucchini have been used in home cooking before (for frying, stewing, pickling). As a rule, amateur vegetable growers used large zucchini (1.5–2 kg) for food, simply regretting picking small fruits. But after the appearance on our seed market of a more productive variety of zucchini - zucchini (which also has a more compact bush, which makes it possible to simplify and mechanize the processes of caring for a plantation), as well as the population's enthusiasm for vegetable diets, the situation has changed. Although even now it is difficult to convince an amateur vegetable grower to harvest squash fruits weighing 500–700 g. But professional vegetable growers supply markets and supermarkets with just such small glossy fruits that you immediately want to buy.
The growth in popularity of zucchini is fully justified from the point of view of nutrition. The dietary advantages of this vegetable are determined by the favorable ratio of potassium and sodium salts, not a large number of coarse dietary fiber and low calorie content (27 kcal per 100 g of product). The fruits also contain sugars, proteins, minerals and vitamins. Zucchini dishes have dehydrating, anti-allergic and anti-anemic properties, they can be easily and quickly prepared. Zucchini fruits are widely used for various kinds processing in industrial and domestic conditions.
Interested in zucchini and producers marketable products. First of all, it is an early ripening vegetable crop, fruit picking begins 50–70 days after sowing, depending on the variety and growing conditions. Another advantage of zucchini is a relatively simple agricultural technique that allows even a novice vegetable grower to grow high-quality marketable fruits. At the same time, they tolerate transportation well and can be stored.
In addition to these advantages, amateur vegetable growers are also attracted by the varied color of the fruits, as well as the presence of varieties with unusual rounded fruits. In addition, well-ripened zucchini can be stored until February and used as food during the winter months.
BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Zucchini belongs to the gourd family and is a hard-barked type of pumpkin (which is why well-ripened zucchini fruits have a very hard bark). Plants can be either bushy (the length of the main lash by the end of the growing season reaches 0.5–0.7 m) or climbing (the main lash is up to 3 m long). The leaves of the zucchini are large, pentagonal, depending on the variety, they can be entire or dissected, green or dark green. Feature some varieties - the presence of white or yellow spots, which beginner growers often mistake for a manifestation of the disease. Another feature of the zucchini is pubescence on the stem and petioles in the form of prickly spikes, which cause some inconvenience when harvesting.
Zucchini fruits are mostly short- or elongated-cylindrical (sometimes slightly curved), but can also be rounded, sometimes slightly ribbed. The color of fruits in the technical stage can be white, cream, light green, green, dark green, bright yellow; some varieties have a pattern in the form of a grid or stripes. The color of fully ripe fruit (biological stage) may differ from that of the technical stage. Small (6–10 day old) zucchini weighing 300–700 g are used for food. It is these fruits that are harvested for sale and preparation. Fully ripened fruits in September are collected only by amateurs and used for food in winter.
OPTIMAL CONDITIONS
Temperature
Like most species of the pumpkin family, zucchini is a heat-loving crop. Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 8...10ºС. Plants stop growing at a temperature of 10...12ºС and may even die if the temperature long time does not rise above 5ºС. When growing this crop, you need to focus on optimal temperatures within 23 ... 27ºС during the day and 18 ... 20ºС (not lower than 15ºС) at night.
The soil
A good harvest of zucchini can be obtained on fertile, loose, well-warmed soils (sandy, light and medium loamy), well seasoned with organic and mineral fertilizers, with a pH of 6.5–7.5.
VARIETY SELECTION
Despite the fact that zucchini is not part of the main vegetable crops in Russia, a large number of varieties and hybrids (over 40) are currently represented on the seed market.
For commercial production
Before choosing a variety or hybrid for commercial production, it is necessary to analyze the market in which the fruits will be sold.
As a rule, among the whole variety of fruit colors, manufacturers opt for varieties and hybrids with cream, light green and green colors. It has been noticed that in the southern regions, light-colored fruits are more popular, and in the middle lane - both light and dark-colored. For commercial production, it is better to choose varieties and hybrids with a cylindrical, rather than oval or pear-shaped fruit, which have a good presentation and are more popular. It is also desirable to pay attention to varieties and hybrids without thorns on petioles and stems, open plant habit, which will greatly simplify harvesting. For commercial production, it is better to use F1 hybrids, which were created specifically for this purpose, although their seeds are more expensive (F1 Iskander, F1 Toskha, F1 Aliya).
For cultivation in the backyard
Each amateur vegetable grower chooses a variety according to his taste, as a rule, paying attention, first of all, to the color of the fruit. Many people like not only uniformly colored white, light green or green varieties, but also striped, bright yellow. Early ripe varieties of zucchini for lovers - Polar Bear, Anchor, Beloplodnye; yellow-fruited RO, Black handsome, Negro, Kuand are high-yielding.
AGRICULTURE IN OPEN GROUND
Soil preparation
When growing zucchini in open ground, it is recommended to apply 30–50 t/ha of organic fertilizers (manure is better), 300 kg/ha of superphosphate and 200 kg/ha of potassium chloride for the main tillage, the rest of the fertilizers are applied with top dressing.
When to sow
In the middle lane, sowing with dry seeds is carried out from May 20 to June 5, depending on weather conditions and the readiness of the site. In other regions, they are sown in such a way that seedlings appear after the threat of return frosts has finally passed.
Sowing
Sowing seeds of bush varieties is carried out according to the scheme 70x70 cm or 90x70 cm. Long-climbing varieties are best grown with a larger feeding area, sowing them according to the scheme 140x70 cm. Other schemes are possible, when choosing them, one must take into account the available equipment for carrying out inter-row treatments. If seeds with high laboratory germination are used and the weather conditions are favorable for germination (soil temperature is 18ºС and above, there is enough moisture), then 1 seed per hole can be sown. If the weather is cold or there is no confidence in the high germination of seeds, it is better to sow 2 seeds per hole, followed by thinning. On average, 4–5 kg of seeds are sown per 1 ha. Seeding depth on light soils 5–8 cm, on heavy soils 4–5 cm.
In the southern regions, you can get 2 crops of zucchini from open ground. In addition to spring sowing, they also spend summer in areas freed from early vegetable crops (potatoes, white and cauliflower).
plant care
If, due to cold weather, there are no seedlings for a long time, then pre-emergence harrowing with mesh harrows is used to destroy weed seedlings and destroy the soil crust.
Caring for zucchini after germination is easy. After the appearance of 1-2 true leaves, thinning is carried out, while weak and underdeveloped plants are removed (extra plants should be removed not by pulling out, but by pinching them, which will prevent damage to the remaining ones). Depending on the variety and region of cultivation, the density of squash plants should be 20–35 thousand pieces/ha.
Before the inter-row spacing is closed, 2–4 inter-row cultivation (cultivation) is carried out mechanized or manually. It is best to schedule them after watering or heavy rains (after the topsoil has dried).
Watering and fertilizing
In dry weather, watering is necessary, since the lack of moisture delays both the development of young plants and fruiting.
Together with watering, 2-3 fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out per season. If seedlings develop slowly, then 1 top dressing can be done only with nitrogen fertilizers. At good development plants 1 top dressing is carried out before flowering, using complex fertilizers, and 2 and, if necessary, 3 - phosphorus-potassium. Dry fertilizers are applied before watering the site; with drip irrigation, top dressing is combined with watering. Feeding with a mixture of trace elements will help increase yields and resistance to adverse conditions.
Disease protection
Harvest from open ground in the middle lane comes from July until frost. In years with rainy cool weather, plants are often severely affected by powdery mildew from the 2nd half of August - early September. Treatment should be carried out at the first sign of the onset of the disease. For this, fungicides with a short waiting period are selected.
AGRICULTURE IN PROTECTED GROUND
Zucchini fruits are in the greatest demand in spring and early summer, so growing early products is most profitable.
As a rule, early products are grown under film shelters and in film greenhouses. It is also possible to accelerate the flow of products by growing zucchini in open ground not by sowing seeds, but by planting seedlings, as well as by applying soil mulching.
Soil mulching
This method is the simplest, available not only to professionals, but also to amateurs. After sowing, the soil is covered with a film. When shoots appear, the film around the plants is cut out, then watering and fertilizing are carried out in the formed holes.
Thanks to mulching, the seeds germinate and develop faster, the root system develops in well-warmed soil, which ensures that the crop arrives 7-10 days earlier than with the conventional method.
Film shelters
Agrotechnics of zucchini under film shelters is similar to that of cucumber. Seedlings at the age of 25–30 days (it is grown in pots with a diameter of at least 10 cm) are planted under a heated film shelter with a distance between plants of 70–80 cm. The shelter is installed about a week before planting the seedlings. Planted at the same time as cucumber seedlings (in the middle lane around mid-May). With more early dates(beginning of May) it is necessary to provide additional insulation shelters in case of return frosts.
In sunny weather, shelters are ventilated, and when stable warm weather sets in, they are removed. It is important to do this before the plants start flowering to allow insect access and pollination of the flowers.
In the future, plant care is the same as when grown in open ground. Using this method the first fruits of zucchini in the middle lane can be obtained at the end of June.
Film greenhouses
The earliest production can be obtained by growing zucchini in film greenhouses. However, it must be remembered that, unlike cucumber, zucchini must be strongly ventilated, since at high humidity the fruits do not set or the ovaries rot.
The timing of planting seedlings depends on the method of heating the film greenhouse. In greenhouses with technical air heating (heat generators, stoves) in the middle lane, seedlings can be planted on April 20-25, in solar-heated greenhouses - on May 5-15. The seedling planting scheme depends on the size of the greenhouse and can be approximately as follows: 100–120x50–80 cm. Soil preparation is carried out in the same way as for cucumber culture.
In greenhouses, the temperature is maintained at 23...27ºС during the day and 15...20ºС at night, air humidity is 60–70%. Care consists of watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening until the leaves close. Watering is carried out once a week, 2 times a month they are combined with top dressing. With a strong thickening of the plants, you can remove a few leaves on them to improve lighting and ventilation.
HARVESTING
The crucial moment in the cultivation of zucchini is harvesting. Zucchini fruits grow quickly and are ready for harvest within 6-10 days after flowering. If they are not removed in time, then they outgrow, losing commercial qualities, the market value of such fruits drops sharply. Therefore, during mass fruiting, harvesting is carried out 2-3 times a week.
All ugly and overgrown fruits are also subject to harvesting: remaining on plants, they interfere with the growth of young ovaries, reducing yields. During harvesting, it is advisable to immediately place zucchini in shipping boxes, as their skin is tender and easily injured. You can store the collected fruits for about a week at low positive temperatures.
V.A.Vasilevsky,
Candidate of Agricultural Sciences
Rarely seen today country cottage area, on which zucchini would not be grown. After all, this is such a tasty and healthy vegetable! In addition to the vitamins (A, C, B) and microelements (iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium) contained in it, it perfectly cleanses and strengthens the body, is used in children's, medical and diet food and even in cosmetology. Another big plus of zucchini is the long shelf life of the fruit, during which it completely retains all its beneficial features.
The best varieties of zucchini
To consume fresh vegetables right from the garden from mid-summer to late autumn, breeders have bred new fruitful varieties of zucchini and hybrids different term maturation. These varieties are perfect for outdoor use. middle lane Russia and Siberia: zucchini can be grown both in the Moscow region and in the Urals - the climate is great for this.
early ripe
White Swan, Golda F1, Tsukesha, Anchor, Odessa 52, Sote 38, Anna, Aeronaut, White bush, Waterfall, Gribovskie 37, Zebra, Zolotinka, kawili zucchini, Caserta, Roller, Skvorushka, Helena and others.
Mid-season
Macaroni, Jade, Black handsome.
late ripening
Nutty, long-fruited
Varieties of zucchini
The main varieties of this species are Aeronaut, Tsukesha, Zebra. They can be classified as early maturing. Already on the 47th day after the emergence of seedlings of the Aeronaut variety seeds, you can harvest. Zucchini fruits have an elongated cylindrical shape, the surface is dark green, smooth. The average weight of zucchini squash is 1.1-1.4 kilograms.
Self-pollinated varieties
Belogor, Aeronaut, Astoria, Apollo, Beloplodny Zucchini, White Swan, White, Black Zucchini and others.
Planting zucchini for seedlings
When to plant zucchini for seedlings?
Seeds can be planted from mid-March to mid-May. Disembarkation at open ground seedlings are produced 25-30 days after planting seeds, this is on average the end of May - the beginning of June. But it all depends on the specific region of residence, here it is impossible to give universal exact dates for disembarkation.
Landing features
Vegetables are grown both through seedlings and by sowing seeds in open ground. When growing seedlings, it is better to use a separate container for each plant (peat pots, paper cups, milk cartons, etc.) about 10x10 cm in size.
Before sowing, zucchini seeds are prepared in the same way as when growing other vegetable crops, and sown in April - early May. The soil mixture for seedlings is prepared from peat, humus, sod land and sawdust in a ratio of 6:2:2:1. For enrichment with microelements, you can add 0.5 cups of ash, 5-6 g of ammonium nitrate or 7-8 g of urea, 10 g of potassium sulfate, 15-20 g of superphosphate to a bucket of the mixture. Or you can use a ready-made soil mixture, such as Exo, from a specialized store.
Filled pots spill hot water or 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate and sow the seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm, flat, so that the sprouted root “looks” down. Before the appearance of the first shoots, we maintain the ambient temperature within the range of 18-25 ° C, and after that we reduce it to 15-20 ° C. Remember that seedlings need a lot of light, otherwise the plants will be weak and begin to stretch strongly.
Features of growing zucchini (video)
fertilizers
Watering is carried out as needed to prevent the topsoil from drying out, with water at room temperature. The first feeding of plants is carried out 7-10 days after the appearance of sprouts. To do this, use: a solution of mullein (1:10) 50 mg per plant, a solution of urea (0.5 tsp per 1 liter of water) 0.5 cups per pot, a solution of the drug "Buton" (2 g per 1 liter of water ) 1 cup for 1-2 pots or a solution of any specialized growth stimulator.
After another 10 days, a second top dressing is carried out with a solution of mullein with the addition of 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 15 g of potassium sulfate per bucket of solution. Or, 1 tsp is diluted in 1 liter of water. nitrophoska. Spend 1 glass of solution per 1 plant.
Garden preparation
Plants are transplanted into the ground if they have 2-3 leaves and at the age of 25-30 days.
Site selection
We choose a sunny site for cultivation, protected from the wind. The best predecessors for zucchini are green and legumes, potatoes, early white and cauliflower, onions, garlic. You can not plant a vegetable in the area where cucumbers, squash, pumpkin grew before. Zucchini return to their original place after 3-4 years.
Preparing the land for planting
In autumn, after harvesting the predecessor, the soil is harrowed with a rake, and after two weeks it is dug up. For digging, rotted manure or compost is introduced - a bucket per 1 sq.m., 30-35 g of superphosphate and 15-20 g of potash fertilizers per 1 sq.m.
In early spring the soil is loosened with a rake, and before planting the seedlings, they dig it up and add 15-20 g of ammonium nitrate per 1 sq.m. On sandy soils, in addition (per 1 sq.m.), it is necessary to add 1-2 buckets of crushed dry clay and 3 kg sawdust. If the soils are heavy, clayey, then per 1 sq.m. add a bucket of river sand and 2-3 kg of peat, sawdust, humus. To peat soils per 1 sq.m. add a bucket of soddy soil and 2 kg of compost or manure humus.
Features of planting zucchini
Since the plant is quite large, the distance between the rows should be at least 1-1.5 m, and between the holes - at least 1 m. Before planting, 1 tablespoon must be added to each hole. organic fertilizer, such as "Effekton" and mix well with the ground. Then each well is watered with a solution of Agricola-5 fertilizer (1 tablespoon per bucket of water) - 1 liter each.
Seedlings are planted early in the morning or in cloudy, warm weather, along with a clod of earth from a pot. Deepen to cotyledon leaves. If there is a threat of frost, then metal arcs are installed above the bed and covered with a film. Or you can cover each plant plastic bottle. The next day after planting, it is necessary to loosen the soil around the seedlings.
zucchini care
top dressing
After 4-5 leaves appear in young plants, light hilling is carried out. Zucchini is watered exclusively under the root, with warm water at the rate of 5 liters of water per plant before flowering and 10 liters each during the fruiting period. To obtain a bountiful harvest, every week zucchini is fed with Mitlider's mixture No. 2 (6 kg of nitrophoska, 1 kg of urea, 1 kg of potassium sulfate, 1 kg of magnesium sulfate, 15 g boric acid, 15 g of molybdic acid).
If this is not possible, then the first dressing is done before flowering. In 10 liters of water, dilute 40-50 g of superfofate, 20-30 g potassium nitrate and 25 g of ammonium sulfate. Under each plant contribute 1 liter of solution.
The second dressing is carried out before fruiting. In 10 liters of water, dilute 40-50 g of superphosphate and potassium nitrate. The consumption rate per plant is 1.5 liters. For top dressing, you can also use a solution of mullein (1:10) or bird droppings (1:20) at the rate of 2 liters per plant in the first top dressing and 4 liters in the second.
Proponents of organic farming can grow zucchini in compost beds, which are made from dry plant residues (potato tops work best) and last year's semi-rotted compost. No top dressing is required in this case.
Pest control
To combat pests and diseases, zucchini is sprinkled with wood ash and treated with non-toxic preparations (Narcissus, Zircon, Amulet and others). And to attract pollinators during the flowering period, every morning the plants are sprayed with a weak solution of honey.
What to collect good harvest it is also important to break off large leaves in a timely manner and remove ripened fruits. If this is not done, then the formation of new ovaries slows down.
Harvesting zucchini
The first harvest of juicy fruits can be harvested already 35-45 days after planting young plants in the ground. Vegetables are used to prepare side dishes, vegetable stews, salads, and various preparations for the winter from zucchini. For storage, the fruits are removed from the bush along with the stalk, wrapped in a plastic bag, small holes are made in it and stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or basement.
Have a good harvest and an abundance of fresh vitamins on the table!
Reviews and comments
(4
ratings, average: 4,38
out of 5)
Marina 02.07.2014
I have different varieties of zucchini growing in my garden. It seems to me that this is the most unpretentious vegetable. I plant seeds in the spring directly into the ground, they germinate well. And then it remains only to weed and water. The harvest of zucchini is always very large. I cook a variety of dishes from them, I even make jam. Children always eat vegetables badly, but they love zucchini pancakes.
Olga 12.02.2016
I always plant zucchini - they help out a lot at the beginning of summer: when there are no cucumbers yet, you can cook wonderful salads with herbs and radishes from zucchini. I plant cucumbers and zucchini in open ground on the same day, but zucchini always begin to bear fruit earlier. In early August, powdery mildew attacks the zucchini, but, to be honest, I don’t fight it: usually the zucchini have already eaten by this time.
Marina 06/20/2016
I have very large zucchini leaves. What can I do with them
b
Marina 06/20/2016
I agree about the climate. But I probably don’t agree about the black soil ... I definitely add sand to the black soil, then the plant feels as close as possible to its natural conditions and looks just wonderful, and also, juniper can be trimmed, even create entire compositions. 😳
Yuri 15.03.2017
“Before sowing, zucchini seeds are prepared in the same way as when growing other vegetable crops”
Wonderful, and most importantly - detailed and intelligible! Thanks!
Alena 08.04.2017
I accidentally from a discarded seed on compost heap beautiful zucchini grew. Since then, I deliberately throw zucchini seeds into compost pit. I catch two birds with one stone: there is no need to set aside a special place for this crop and zucchini grow very good.
Natalia 04.10.2017
I have zucchini in the country that grow very poorly. The whole summer there was no harvest. Only at the end of September there were 2 zucchini.
Tomatoes and peppers grow well, give large yields, but zucchini does not. And it's been like that for three seasons. I get the impression that zucchini is very difficult to grow.
NatashaPetrova 07.10.2017
I think it's just a poor choice of seed or variety. I had this with several varieties (for example, Beloplodny). One summer, same conditions Some grow, others don't. And the plants themselves are somehow dead, and there is no harvest. Well, I get Zebra zucchini. True, for several years from their seeds. Therefore, I don’t know if the variety is exactly to blame, or, nevertheless, the seeds of that Beloplodny were bad. Try to change - both varieties and seed producers.
Marie28 08.10.2017
Most likely your zucchini "fatten". Eliminate nitrogen fertilizers after flowering, during the ovary period. From my own experience, I noticed that zucchini whose seeds are sown and grow on a compost heap do not “fatten” despite the fact that they grow practically on nitrogen. But zucchini in the garden react sharply to fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers, if it is carried out once and abundantly. 08.10.2017
The reason for poor fruiting can be several. I will list:
1. You may have used seeds from a previous year. hybrid variety. Such seeds are characterized by a decrease in yield by next year landings.
2. The reason may be in improper storage. Zucchini seeds are stored in a warm and dry place. High humidity and low temperatures drastically reduce yields.
3. Choose a partial shade for a landing site, as pollinating insects do not like to fly in the shade. For this reason, the ovary on the female flowers dies.
4. If the summer turned out to be cloudy, rainy, this affects insects. They do not pollinate flowers with raw pollen. Do hand pollination.
5. Perhaps the reason is an overabundance of feeding and watering. An excess dose of nitrogen leads to an increase in green mass, the plant "forgets" about fruiting. Abundant watering leads to decay of the root collar. In addition, the roots cease to receive oxygen.
Elena 10.10.2017
If it is not possible to easily grow a rich crop of zucchini, then the following rules must be observed when planting and further growing. Despite the fact that many zucchini seeds are planted immediately in open ground, these pumpkins still love when they are grown in seedlings. It is necessary to cut the bottom in a cup or box for seedlings so that during further planting, the root system is not damaged. The age of seedlings should be no more than thirty days. After planting zucchini in open ground, it is important not to overfeed them with fertilizers. And it’s better to prepare fertile soil in advance by mixing it with humus and adding a little superphosphate. In the process of growing zucchini, you no longer need to feed them.
Nikita 10.09.2018
I love zucchini, I plant a lot of them, then I make caviar out of them, with peppers, tomatoes, and even so I love them stuffed. Zucchini requires a lot of space, so I immediately leave a large square of land under it in the spring, then I make large holes, fill it with humus and plant it directly with seeds. And then the main thing - proper watering, I always water the zucchini from a watering can and carefully so as not to blur the holes, not to wet the leaves and at the same time so that there is a lot of water.
Add a commentOnly in the 18th century did the Italians begin to use its unripe fruits for food. Since then, he has slowly gained popularity. Today, zucchini is already used in food by many. But in order to enjoy this tasty and healthy vegetable, you need to grow it.
How to choose zucchini seeds for planting?
Zucchini is a plant in the gourd family. Its fruits are oblong in shape and in different shades - from almost black to pure white color. Today, two varieties of this plant are known - these are ordinary zucchini and zucchini. They belong to the same species, but are not quite similar to each other in physical properties. Zucchini have a larger number of female flowers and due to this a wonderful yield.
They have tender and juicy flesh, and the skin does not coarsen for a long time, compared to common varieties zucchini. However, back to the choice of seeds for planting. There are many varieties of this healthy vegetable. You need to choose them depending on what kind of crop and when you plan to get. It is optimal to have several bushes of different varieties, in which case you will be provided with zucchini from June to October. What to look for when choosing seeds? If you buy them in a store, then the manufacturer. It is better to purchase seeds from those companies whose products you are already familiar with. Many people prefer to grow vegetables from seeds. There are some nuances here.
There are many hybrids that are not suitable for seed production. Therefore, if you decide to get your own, then know that they can only be successful if it was not a hybrid plant. Zucchini seeds are very well stored and do not lose their germination capacity up to 8 years. And even after the expiration date, they can ascend normally.
Planting - seeds or seedlings?
Zucchini is a rather heat-loving plant and does not withstand the slightest frost, so it is better to grow them in seedlings. This requires peat pots and specialized soil. But if you do not want to spend extra money, then you can prepare the soil yourself. It is necessary to mix compost, peat and garden soil in equal proportions.
Then the prepared soil is moistened, and one grain is laid out in each of the pots, immersing them in the soil to a depth of 2-3 cm. Growing seedlings requires a certain temperature regime- from 10 to 22 degrees and good illumination.
With a lack of light, the plants will stretch and become thinner. After the appearance of sprouts, if necessary, they are watered with water at room temperature. During the cultivation of seedlings, it must be fed. It is best for such purposes to use complex fertilizers of Kemira or Agricola, designed for pumpkin crops.
In this case, you do not have to measure the dose for each element and add them separately. In the first days, the plants must be treated with one of the growth stimulants. It will not allow seedlings to stretch and make them strong and disease resistant.
Planting zucchini in open ground
Zucchini prefer light nutritious soil and cannot stand stagnant moisture. That's why clay soils not suitable for them. Moreover, the preparation of the beds for planting must be carried out in the fall, removing the previous crops. It is dug up for the winter, and in the spring it is leveled with a rake, while introducing compost and mineral fertilizers. 
The terms of planting in open ground for seedlings of zucchini are 30-35 days. Moreover, if the temperature is still not high enough, then it is recommended to cover it with a film before the onset of heat.
Usually in the spring it is already quite warm during the day, and there are still frosts at night. Therefore, the seedlings under the film must be slightly opened in the morning and carefully closed in the evening. When planting zucchini, a planting pattern of 70-70 cm is used.
It is better to do this in the evening, so they will have more time to root. You can perform this procedure during the day, but only in cloudy weather so that they are not burned by the sun's rays. Seedlings grown in peat pots, planted with them, while making sure that they are tightly compressed on all sides with earth and lowered 2-3 cm below the soil level. It is recommended to introduce organic-mineral substances into the hole before planting. It can be humus or compost in combination with mineral fertilizers. This mixture is added in half a bucket for one plant.
When planting seedlings of zucchini, they must be watered - 1-2 liters of water in one hole. best place for their landing are sunny areas. They are grown in seedlings to get an early harvest. But there is also planting seeds in the ground. With this, you will get later vegetables.
It is usually produced from the first decade of May to the middle of June. A bed for sowing is prepared in the same way as for seedlings. For faster germination, it is recommended to pre-soak the seeds in a solution of minerals or ordinary wood ash.
They are kept in it for 3 days, and then, after rinsing with water, they are left in a humid environment for another 3 days and only then they are planted in the ground. In each hole, it is recommended to sow a couple of seeds at a distance from each other.
When a few germinate, a stronger plant is left, and the rest is removed. After sowing, the bed is covered with a film until shoots appear.
However, at low temperatures, shelter is left until June. If you need zucchini for a long winter storage, then the best planting dates will be from June 1 to June 10.
zucchini care
At proper cultivation you will get strong plants and excellent harvest. What will be required for this? Caring for zucchini is quite simple and consists in:
- weeding,
- watering,
- top dressing.
Each step must be completed on time. Weeding as weeds grow. Today, there is a great way to avoid this difficult work - this is mulching the soil around the plant. Mulch can be anything plant material, straw, cut grass, sawdust and much more. Its layer on the garden bed will not only save you from weeding, but also retain moisture in the soil, which means that much less watering will be required.
This is a wonderful remedy for overheating of the earth, the mulch will not allow the sun's rays to heat up the soil, and thereby create zucchini good conditions for development and growth. When growing them without soil mulching, it is recommended to hill the plants - this will help them form additional roots and have a beneficial effect on growth.
But it is better to use soil taken from another bed for this, so as not to damage the roots of the plant.
It is necessary to water the zucchini regularly, it is better to do this with rainwater that has warmed up in the sun. Watering is done 1 time in 10 days at 8-10 liters per meter square ground. This is usually done in the evening or early in the morning.
Top dressing for the first time is carried out with ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potash fertilizers in a ratio of 20:40:20 g per bucket of water. This amount is distributed over ten plants.
The second one is carried out during flowering with the same composition of substances, only this amount is distributed over 5 plants. Good results are obtained by feeding with a diluted infusion of chicken manure. When growing, do not forget about pollination.
To improve it, it is necessary to periodically move the leaves apart, giving access to flowers for insects. To attract more of them, you can spray the plant with water and honey. If you grow zucchini in greenhouses or under a film, then you should not forget about airing.
These plants cannot stand high humidity, and with its excess, the fruits will rot, diseases may appear. The period from flowering to the formation of fruits in zucchini is about 20 days. The crop is usually harvested when the fruits have reached a length of 10 cm. At this stage, they have not yet had time to coarsen and are easily cut with a knife. Plant growth is very fast in warm weather and good care. One bush for the entire period can form up to 20 fruits.
It is necessary to collect zucchini every other day, preventing them from overgrowing. With irregular removal, the formation of new ovaries slows down and the taste of the fruit deteriorates. If you grow zucchini for seeds, then in this case it is left on the plant until the skin becomes coarse. They check the maturity by lightly pressing the nail, if the skin is not pierced, then the fruit is already mature. Zucchini that have reached physical maturity can be stored for a long time in dry and ventilated cellars.
The benefits of zucchini
Today it has been scientifically proven that these vegetables contain a lot of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, organic acids and protein, and besides, they are low in calories. Therefore, they are recommended to be used by those people who decide to get rid of excess weight. By growing and using this vegetable for food, you will not only get a boost of vitamins, but also tasty and healthy dishes that you can cook from them.
Even ethnoscience found use for some of them. For example, it is considered that squash caviar useful in urolithiasis and metabolic disorders. Juice and flower decoction are recommended as a sedative. Here is such a wonderful vegetable you can grow on your own site.
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