Zucchini is not always grown in seedlings. However, if you want to harvest early, you should use this technique. This is a fairly simple process, but it is important to ensure temperature and light conditions. At the same time, many beginning gardeners are interested in when is the best time to plant zucchini seedlings in 2023. In this case, it is worth focusing on the lunar calendar and climatic features of the region.
Requirements for the growing site
In order for squash seedlings to develop normally, they need to be provided with good lighting and a relatively low temperature. Thanks to this, within a month it will grow into a viable plant. It is very important not to overheat the plants in the first few days. This is precisely the main difficulty of growing crops.
After 4-5 days, the seedlings can withstand +18-24 degrees, but at night it should be a little cooler. Direct sunlight in April-May poses a danger to the plant. She needs powerful but diffused light. Therefore, you should not place containers with zucchini on the southern windowsill. When placing the container on the north window, you need to equip it with additional lighting.
When is the best time to plant
When choosing the timing of planting a crop, it is worth taking into account regional characteristics:
- In the middle zone, planting work is carried out in March or in the first half of April. They can be transplanted into open soil after May 9. However, it is important to cover young bushes. At the end of May, this procedure can no longer be carried out.
- In Yekaterinburg and the northern regions, it is worth planting zucchini seeds in April. Bushes are moved to open ground after May 20. At this time, there may still be frosts in the regions. Therefore, plants need to be covered. You can remove the insulation at the beginning of June.
- In Siberia and the Urals, planting work should be carried out in April-May. Planting in the ground is possible when the temperature remains consistently positive. This is usually observed in early June.
- In the south, zucchini should be planted in February. Already in March, the seedlings are moved to a permanent place in open soil.
Schedule according to the lunar calendar
When carrying out planting work, it is imperative to focus on the dates fixed in the lunar calendar. Zucchini is one of the crops that produces above-ground fruits. Therefore, they should be planted and replanted during the waxing of the moon. Such work should not be carried out during the new moon and full moon. At this time, it is permissible to prepare the soil and containers. You can also create garden beds.
In 2023, to carry out planting work, you should focus on the table data:
Month | Favorable period | Unfavorable period |
February | 1-4, 21-28 | 5, 20 |
March | 1-6, 22-31 | 7, 21 |
April | 1-5, 21-30 | 6, 20 |
May | 1-4, 20-31 | 5, 19 |
June | 1-3, 21-30 | 4, 18 |
If planting is done at a favorable time, sprouts will appear on time and the seedlings will actively develop. This will make it possible to move them into open ground in time and collect an early harvest.
Landing instructions
In order for planting work to be successful, it is worth considering certain rules and recommendations.
Preparing seeds and soil
Seeds should be purchased at the store. This will help to obtain high-quality planting material with an understandable shelf life. In addition, the packaging contains information about the characteristics of the variety, approximate dates for planting and moving to open ground.
There are different ways to prepare zucchini seeds:
- keep in warm water for several hours;
- soak in a growth stimulator according to the instructions - for this it is permissible to use drugs such as Zircon, Epin, NV-101;
- germinate in a humid environment - for this you need to wrap the seeds in cotton napkins soaked in warm water and hold at a temperature of +22-26 degrees.
For the full formation of the root system of plants, loose soil is required, which is permeable to moisture and air.The best option would be a ready-made substrate for vegetable seedlings. You can also make it yourself.
To do this, you need to mix non-acidic peat, river sand and humus in a ratio of 2:1:1. After combining the components, the composition is disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or hot steam. After this, you need to water the soil with a fungicidal solution.
Planting and subsequent care
To plant seeds, you need to use neutral or slightly alkaline soil. After this, you need to fill peat or disposable cups with the prepared substrate and deepen the prepared seeds into it. This needs to be done 2 centimeters.
Also, zucchini grains can simply be placed on the surface of the soil, sprinkled and sprinkled with substrate. In any case, the crops need to be watered generously with warm water. To do this, you can use a watering can or spray bottle.
In order for squash seedlings to develop normally, they need to be provided with complete and high-quality care. It is recommended to take into account that the optimal temperature for planting is +20-25 degrees during the daytime and +15-17 degrees at night. After the shoots appear, during the day you need to provide +15-22 degrees, and at night – +12-17.
7 days after germination, it is worth feeding the zucchini with urea. To prepare the solution, you need to take half a teaspoon of the substance per 1 liter of water. After another 1-1.5 weeks, nitrophoska should be added. In this case, it is recommended to use 1 small spoon of fertilizer per 1 liter.When the seedlings become stronger, they should be planted in open ground or in a greenhouse.
Zucchini is considered a popular and unpretentious crop. At the same time, growing plants using seedlings still differs in a number of features. To get strong seedlings and a bountiful harvest, it is imperative to take into account the timing of planting work.