6 Secrets of Growing Zucchini

 6 Secrets of Growing Zucchini for Your Biggest Harvest This Summer

If there’s one vegetable that everyone jokes about eating too much, it’s zucchini. But what happens if you feel like you're doing everything right, and you're not getting an abundance of those crisp, green summer squashes? Believe it or not, it can sometimes take a little extra effort to get this popular cucurbit. But once you know the tips and tricks for growing tons of zucchini, you will be sending them to your neighbors in no time. In this article, we are going to look at some of the things you can do to get your biggest zucchini harvest. The secrets of plenty of zucchini go from spring to the first frost.

1. Start them correctly

One of the best things you can do for your zucchini is to make sure they get a solid and healthy start. The easiest way to do this is to add a mulch full of two mulches of manure and worm molds to the soil where you plan to plant your seed or your alternative. Mix compost and worm molds in that first few inches of soil. This soil correction should focus on the area where your plant will establish its root zone. Fertilizer will provide nutrients to your zucchini, which will help it thrive throughout the season. Worm molds help to create good soil structure, improve drainage, act as a slow-release compost and repel some soft body pests. Do not forget to cultivate a few ancillary crops as well.

2. Plant a Decoy

As we have already mentioned, summer squash, in particular, becomes prey to many hungry insects every summer. One of the easiest ways to keep those pests in the bay is to use a trap crop. If you have not heard of this practice, take a few minutes to see Cheryl's article on the benefits of using trap crops in your garden. The perfect trap crop for your zucchini is blue Hubbard squash. Plant your trap crop beyond your zucchini. The other side of the garden would be a great place for it.

3. Help Out Your Neighborhood Pollinators

Unfortunately, the pollinating population is declining dramatically year by year. Most people do not know how devastating the consequences of this loss will be until it comes close to home. Gardeners with small yields can feel this loss as our vegetable crops have fewer pollinators to pollinate the flowers. This is also a big problem for commercial agriculture. Mostly, European bees import commercial crops specifically for pollination.

4. Prune your zucchini plants

Zucchini has a habit of spreading in the garden. Their leaves are large and they definitely take up a lot of space. This can lead to problems for a number of reasons. First, the presence of this large forest canopy of zucchini leaves makes it very difficult for pollinators to locate the flowers. Those bright yellow flowers are yellow for a reason. But if your pollinators do not find them in all of those leaves, you could potentially miss the zucchini as I described earlier. The best way to deal with it is to prevent powdery mildew first; To do that, you need a plant that will have plenty of ventilation and light all the way to the ground. Start by cutting off any stems that are broken or lying on the ground. Removing those leaves that cover the ground can help prevent pest problems. Then pinch back any leaves that invade other plants, do not be afraid to prune it hard; You can easily prune 30-40% of the leaves without harming the plant.

5. Pick Every Day

To kick your zucchini plants into high gear, check them out and take the squash out of it every day. Zucchini is very tasty when harvested small and tender anyway. When the pumpkin is picked between 5 ”-8” in length, it signals that it needs to produce more flowers and more zucchini. If you allow too many squashes to mature in the plant, it will send chemical signals to slow or stop production.

6. Plant another zucchini

Finally, my last tip for increasing your zucchini yield is to get another plant in the ground from mid-June to early July. By planting another zucchini plant late in the season, one of the plants you start at the beginning of the season If you are exposed to pests or diseases today, you will wake up again. Not only will your second zucchini plant your Plan B, but even if your other plants are fine, this new plant will hit mid-season with all the energy and productivity that your first zucchini did. You will extend your season a bit. Late in the growing season, when your first zucchini start to slow down, you will receive your second planting to take you to your first frost.