Vegetable growing » Zucchini
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Kira Stoletova
Zucchini Skvorushka is included in the list of vegetables that are considered dietary food, because... contains a large number of nutritional components necessary for the full development of the body. The total volume of microelements of the culture is famous for its low calorie content and large vitamin reserves.
Growing zucchini Skvorushka
Description of the variety
The zucchini variety has become a real discovery for gardeners, because... it is quite unpretentious to weather conditions and agricultural technology. These vegetables are annual plants that are part of the pumpkin family.
Skvorushka is a mid-early variety. It is one of the varieties of zucchini. Zucchini is translated from Italian as small pumpkin. This vegetable differs in external parameters, mainly in color: dark green or yellowish.
According to the description of the Skvorushka zucchini, the fruits are cylindrical in shape with some bulges on the side surface. They are dark green in color with small white spots. The peel is quite smooth and has a fine structure.
The maximum length of this variety of zucchini, which was recorded by gardeners, is about 25 cm. During the ripening period, you can collect fruits weighing from 0.5 to 1.3 kg. The pulp of the vegetable has a white tint and is characterized by high juiciness, due to which it has excellent taste properties.
Peculiarities
This zucchini belongs to the early ripening group; technological ripeness is achieved already by 50 days after emergence (on average). Quite a lot of ovaries appear. The fruits have a cylinder configuration, they have ribs, but not too pronounced. Zucchini is covered with a dark green skin, on which white spots are clearly visible. The length of the fruit grows up to 250 mm, weight can vary from 500 to 1200 g.
The pulp is always juicy and white, its consistency is suitable for a wide variety of dishes. “Skvorushka” is good both canned and raw. But without heat treatment, it is best to eat fruits no longer than 150 mm and no heavier than 200 g. These are the ones that are distinguished by their tenderness and juiciness.
Productivity
After you notice that the Skvorushka zucchini begins to bloom, you need to count 20 days, and then you can begin the first harvest. During this time, the fruits will not have time to grow to maximum parameters, but these are the sizes of zucchini that are suitable for cooking.
Skvorushka should not be allowed to overripe, because... the vegetable may change its taste, and in some cases become completely unfit for consumption.
Determining the maturity of the fetus is simple. To do this, you need to pay attention to the zucchini peel: if it is hard, then the vegetable is ripe. If it makes a dull sound when you tap it, you can also pick zucchini from the garden. The picked vegetable can be stored for 4-5 months from the date of harvest.
This variety is considered the leader among early ripening varieties (up to 50 days), and is also characterized by high yield. With the right agricultural techniques, you can harvest 5-7 kg of zucchini from 1 bush.
Planting zucchini in open ground
What time to plant
Zucchini seedlings should be planted in open soil approximately 4 weeks after the seedlings appear. As a rule, planting occurs in the last days of May or the first days of June, after the threat of returning spring frosts has passed.
Suitable soil
A suitable site for planting this crop should be well lit, protected from gusts of wind, located on the southwestern or southern side of the garden, and the groundwater should lie deep enough. And the soil should be slightly alkaline or neutral. You cannot grow zucchini for at least three years in areas where representatives of the Cucurbitaceae family (for example, cucumbers, pumpkin, zucchini or squash) were cultivated, otherwise there is a high probability that the bushes will be affected by diseases that are typical of Cucurbitaceae. The best precursors for such a plant are: peas, tomatoes, parsley, lettuce, cabbage, onions, garlic, radishes, carrots, potatoes and green manure.
The area for planting should be prepared in advance. To do this, in the autumn he will need to dig to a depth of about 0.3 m, while 20 grams of potassium sulfate, 5 kilograms of humus or compost and 30 grams of superphosphate per 1 square meter must be added to the soil. In spring, the soil on the site should be loosened, and ammonium nitrate (15 grams per 1 square meter of site) should be added to it to a depth of about 10 centimeters. Then the surface of the area should be leveled.
Rules for planting seedlings in open ground
Planting holes should be made on the site in such a way that there are no more than 3 holes per 1 square meter of bed. The row spacing should be from 100 to 150 centimeters. A small amount of humus and wood ash must be poured into each hole; fertilizers must be mixed with the soil. After this, a plant is planted in the hole, which is taken together with a lump of earth, while it must be buried down to the cotyledon leaf plates, and the voids in the hole must be filled with earth. The soil must be compacted, after which the zucchini is watered abundantly. It is necessary to plant seedlings in open soil in cloudy and warm weather. If there is a danger of return frosts, each plant will need to be covered with a cut plastic bottle, or metal arcs are installed over the bushes, over which a plastic film is stretched. After the zucchini is planted in the garden bed, the next day you will need to loosen its surface.
Planting zucchini. New way!
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Growing zucchini in a greenhouse
Zucchini seedlings should be planted in a film greenhouse in cloudy weather or in the afternoon. Planting is carried out 15–20 days earlier than transplanting seedlings into open soil; therefore, sowing seeds in pots must be done earlier by the same number of days. In the garden bed in the greenhouse, square or round holes should be made; they should reach half a meter in diameter, while their depth should be about 0.3 m, and the distance between the holes should be from 0.7 to 0.8 m. In each hole you should add 30 grams of potassium sulfate, 500 grams of peat manure compost and 50 grams of superphosphate. After the holes have been watered, seedlings should be planted in them, after which the holes are filled with soil and the plants are watered again. A certain temperature regime must be maintained in the greenhouse, so during the day it should be about 23–25 degrees, and at night - from 14 to 15 degrees. The soil temperature should not be less than 18 degrees, and the optimal air humidity should be from 60 to 70 percent.
In a greenhouse, plants should be provided with proper care; for this they need to be ventilated and watered moderately in a timely manner, as well as loosen the soil surface in a timely manner, remove weeds and feed them. If the bushes exhibit excessively active growth of foliage, this can cause the air humidity in the greenhouse to increase significantly, as a result of which the plants may lose their ovaries. In order to prevent this, 2 to 4 leaf plates must be removed from the middle or lower part of the stem, and ventilation must be systematically arranged in the greenhouse.
Application
Zucchini is a dietary product and contains a huge amount of mineral components that fill the body with all the necessary substances. This vegetable is also easily digestible and normalizes metabolism. Nutritionists highlight a number of benefits of eating Skvorushka zucchini in any form:
- it should be added to dishes for those people who suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system and obesity;
- Zucchini is considered a preventive vegetable, which is consumed when problems arise associated with disruption of the gastrointestinal tract. They promote the absorption of heavier foods that are eaten with them;
- the fruits in some cases can be used as an anthelmintic, because they contain a large amount of oil;
- the vegetable is useful for older people, because is considered the main barrier to the accumulation of cholesterol in human blood.
The vegetable is versatile in cooking
A large number of dishes can be prepared from the culture using various technological processes: boiling, frying, stewing, stuffing, canning. It can be used to create sauces, cream soups, etc.
Advantages and disadvantages
Skvorushka zucchini has a number of advantages:
- high yield;
- the fruits ripen almost simultaneously;
- short ripening period (from 40 to 50 days);
- excellent taste;
- vegetables are suitable for transportation;
- relative resistance to adverse weather conditions.
The disadvantages of Skvorushka are almost impossible to identify. The only inconvenience when growing may be that the crop requires sunlight and heat. To obtain a rich harvest, it is recommended to plant bushes in a place protected on at least two sides from strong winds, which can tear their vines.
Growing
For growing zucchini seedlings or sowing seeds, soil with a neutral acidity level is recommended. If the soils in your area are acidic, you must first add limestone to them to reduce this indicator.
Before planting, additional methods of soil preparation can be the application of organic fertilizers. It is recommended to plant the crop in soil where potatoes, tomatoes or onions were previously grown.
Squash of the Skvorushka variety is grown in two ways:
- seedlings, which are prepared 2 months before immersion in open ground;
- using seeds - during the period when the earth is well warmed up and there is a low probability that frosts will appear (late spring - early summer). Several seeds are sown in a pre-prepared hole to increase the possibility of crop germination. If all the seedlings sprout, then only the strongest ones should be left.
When preparing planting holes, maintain a distance between them of about 60 cm.
Basic rules for growing Skvorushka zucchini without seedlings
Residents of regions where the weather is consistently warm in May do not have to waste time on seedlings. For such a climate, a more familiar way of growing zucchini is suitable - sowing seeds in open ground. But this simpler method also has its own rules.
Sowing seeds in open ground
Work on planting Skvorushka should begin in late May or early June. But it is better to determine this period based on weather conditions. If the temperature at night does not drop below 16 degrees, and the soil is warm enough that dandelions have begun to bloom, you can sow zucchini.
First, you should harden the seeds by soaking them alternately in warm and cold water. You can also use a special solution that will increase their germination. In a carefully selected area with fertilized soil, it is necessary to dig holes according to the 60x60 pattern. Place 2 seeds in each of them so that you can then select the strongest sprout. If the material is of high quality and tested, one piece per hole will be enough.
Watering and fertilizing
You should not water the zucchini too often: once every 10 days will be enough. Very wet soil can lead to disease. The Skvorushka variety loves loose soil, so it needs to be fluffed up frequently, especially after watering. This zucchini is quite strong and resilient, but you can feed it with various solutions. Organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable, for example, mullein infusion.
Pests and diseases
Breeders have worked well on the Skvorushka variety, so it is resistant to most fungal and bacterial diseases. In order not to destroy this ability, you should not pour too much water and often loosen the soil. This is especially true for regions with heavy soil. For example, loamy soil must be treated every 2-3 days.
If there is a sufficient amount of oxygen and low humidity in the ground, the fungus will not develop.
Like regular squash, zucchini can be damaged by insects. To protect the plant from pests, you should regularly remove weeds and affected leaves. For prevention, you can spray the bush with a decoction of hot pepper and scatter wood ash around the perimeter of the bed.
Care
If you follow all the rules of agricultural technology at the end of the season, you can reap an excellent harvest. Attention should be paid to loosening the soil. Always make sure that the bed allows light and water to pass through well. Loosening should be carried out depending on the type of soil: the harder the soil, the more often this procedure must be used.
The variety will please you with a good harvest
Zucchini bushes should be watered approximately once every 10 days. This volume of water will be enough to ripen the fruit. Water for irrigation must be heated to prevent the formation of rot. Skvorushka does not tolerate high humidity, so you can stop watering 10 days before harvesting.
It is recommended to fertilize the bushes periodically: during flowering and fruit growth. In this case, the ideal fertilizer would be cow grass or other special preparations.
During the flowering period of zucchini, the petals of the inflorescences should be periodically moved apart so that pollinating insects can easily reach the stamens.
