Growing Zucchini, also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash

Cucurbita pepo : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S                  
      T                
      P P P            

(Best months for growing Zucchini in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 70°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 20 - 35 inches apart
  • Harvest in 6-9 weeks. Cut the fruit often to keep producing.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Corn, beans, nasturtiums, parsley, Silverbeet, Tomatoes
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

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14 Dec 09, Catherine (Australia - tropical climate)
Hi Judy, I have the same red/orange bugs eating my zucchini leaves I think. Any info from anyone on this would be appreciated. My onion, garlic, chili spray didn't seem to deter them.
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02 Dec 09, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Claire and Adam, The flower heads will drop off pollinated zucchini . Small zucchini rot because they are not pollinated. See earlier answers for info about hand pollination.
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02 Dec 09, Adam (Australia - temperate climate)
Claire, I would really like to know the answer to the rotting issue, mine start growing well and then some grow fully then some rot on the top, I want to know how to stop the rotting.
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22 Nov 09, Claire (Australia - temperate climate)
I have recently heard that you should pull the flower off the end of the zucchini once the zucchini has started to grow. The reson I was given is that if the flower is left on, it can cause the zucchini to rot due the amount of moisture it attracts??? I am going to try it as my zucchinis are begining to grow and then going yellow and rotting from the flower end? Has anyone else heard this???
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18 Nov 09, adam synnott (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi. With Zucchini, you have to pollinate the females with the males. I usually have 2 or 3 plants, enouhg for one person, and I use the males of one plant to pollinate the females of another. It's just a ritual I have every morning. And, they do just seem to grow on top of the soil, and have a spindly stem getting all the goodness for the plant. This is normal, and okay. A zucchini will let you know if it's not happy. It will wilt really quickly, and die really fast, if anything is wrong. They also cross pollinate very easily.
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18 Nov 09, Judy (Australia - temperate climate)
Brad - they often do this for a while at the start and then start producing zucchinis
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15 Nov 09, JUdy (Australia - temperate climate)
My zucchinis have red bugs that look a bit like ladybirds eating the leaves. Have grown zucchinis for 30 years and never seen them. Any ideas?
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13 Nov 09, Michelle (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, first time veggie grower. My zucchini were planted from seed about 6 weeks ago. They seem to be growing quite healthy, but still small and no flowers. I also planted cucumber after the zuchs, and they are twice the size. Can someone please tell me why my zucchini's are growing so slowly?? thanks
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10 Nov 09, Dianna (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My full grown zucchini fruits are spiky or hairy! Is this normal?? What do I do to get it off??
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17 Oct 09, allen bradford (Australia - temperate climate)
info on how to grow zucchini, are they a vine or groundcover type of plant
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Showing 291 - 300 of 356 comments
See comments for all plants

Leaves going white sounds like powdery mildew, probably due to all the wet. You could try a spray of dilute (1 to 9) skim milk and water (see RHNZ website: http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/powdery-mildew.htm), or a commercial spray.

- Chris

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