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 21°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 50 - 90 cm 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

22 Dec 09, Tui (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
my plants are looking quite pale and stunted (light green to yellow) and I am getting male flowers that twist up and die before they open. What is going wrong?
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.
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.
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???
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.
18 Nov 09, Judy (Australia - temperate climate)
Brad - they often do this for a while at the start and then start producing zucchinis
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?
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
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??
17 Oct 09, allen bradford (Australia - temperate climate)
info on how to grow zucchini, are they a vine or groundcover type of plant
Showing 211 - 220 of 255 comments

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