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 S           S S S S S
T T T             T T T
P P               P P P

(Best months for growing Zucchini in Australia - sub-tropical 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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10 May 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Check to see if you have bees working in your area/garden otherwise you might have to hand pollinate in the mornings when the female flowers come out. they are only open for a 1/2 day.
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08 Jan 18, Tony Barnes (Australia - temperate climate)
Planted my zucchini early in raised beds. Brilliant start looked good producing well. Then these and later plantings have started well but the leaves get a shrivelled look around the edges and only male flowers are produced. When I pull these plants out the roots are quite rotten looking. Am in Northern Rivers area NSW so very humid with warm/hot winds.
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09 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try growing from Sept - as you say hot and humid now.
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26 Dec 17, Steve (Australia - tropical climate)
All about the soil, my plants are the size of seven week old plants. Try a mix of compost, coir, perlite and tomato mix.
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04 Dec 17, Robert (Australia - temperate climate)
I have 2 plants that are growing well, I have one zucchini that matured,but now the small fruit are turning yellow before the flowers open and fall off. Any advice please.
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08 Dec 17, Fred (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Mix one cup of milk to 2 litters of water and put 2 cups of the mixture into the base of each plant. And you need to use this lime sprinkle two hand full around the base of the plant before watering.
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08 Dec 17, Fred (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Dolomite lime. It's a good source of calcium. For some reason the link in my previous reply was deleted.
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13 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
They don't post links.
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05 Dec 17, Meg (Australia - temperate climate)
Mine are doing the same. From past experience I know that no fertilisation is taking place. Unfortunately the flowers are remaining closed so you can't even do it yourself!
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07 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I posted here in the pumpkin section - the female flower only opens one day and is shut by mid afternoon. So the bees or you have a very limited time to pollinate the female flower. Zucchini pumpkin cucumbers are from the same family so maybe this applies to all these plants. If you don't have bees then you need to look each day to see when the female flower opens. It takes approx. 12 visits by a bee to pollinate a pumpkin female flower.
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Showing 51 - 60 of 255 comments
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I've noticed with pumpkin (and I asdyme zucchini) they basically have to be pollinated from another plant of the same species. Make sure you buy 2 or 3 plants. I tried several years just having 1 pumpkin plant and hand pollinating itself, with pollination always failing. Now I usually hand pollinate zucchini and pumpkin in mornings by taking the male flower from one and pollinating the female flowers on other plants and vice versa. It worked really well last season and seems to be working well this year with blackjack zucchs.

- Jason

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