Previously, zucchini was most often grown in Mexico, as it did well in the climatic conditions. However, today this vegetable is grown by almost all vegetable growers in any part of the planet. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to plant zucchini in July and reap a high-quality harvest. Some argue that this can be done, since July has excellent planting conditions and temperatures above 15 degrees Celsius. Others believe that if you plant a vegetable in the summer, you will not be able to get a high-quality harvest from zucchini.
Zucchini in open ground: when to plant?
To figure out when is the best time to process and plant zucchini, you should familiarize yourself with the lunar calendar. At the same time, you need to check the dates on the calendar every year, since they shift every year.
First, the most suitable period for planting seed is determined in order to obtain seedlings. The quality of the future harvest will depend on the correct time for planting seeds. Squash seeds are planted from the second half of February until the end of spring. When choosing a more precise date, the characteristics of the climate in which the plant will be grown are taken into account. For example, if you plant zucchini in May, then in July they will grow and can be transplanted into the ground.
In February, seed is planted only if the vegetable will be grown in greenhouse conditions. Although this plant is unpretentious, it still should not be planted outside in early spring. Young seedlings will not cope with the nighttime drop in temperature and will die.
Having determined the period for planting zucchini seedlings, you should choose the appropriate time for replanting the plant in open ground. It is taken into account that the plant is planted in well-warmed soil with a temperature of about 10–15 degrees. Therefore, you should not plant seedlings in early spring. It is better to wait until the spring frosts end and only then plant vegetables.
Is it possible to plant zucchini in July? It’s definitely possible, since in mid-summer the ground warms up well and the plant will take root immediately after replanting. Favorable days for landing are the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 31st. It is not recommended to plant zucchini in August, as it is too late. Plants planted at the end of summer do not always have time to fully ripen by the beginning of the first frost.
Zucchini varieties that can be planted late
Before you start planting, you should determine what zucchini can be planted in the second half of summer. There are several varieties that are often planted in the ground in the summer.
Cavili F1
This variety can be planted in open ground in July. zucchini like Cavili F1. This vegetable is characterized by rapid ripening of fruits and therefore can be planted late. The advantages of the variety include its yield and fruiting duration, which does not exceed two months. This allows you to collect ripe fruits before frost. About ten kilograms of zucchini are collected from the bush.
Iskander F1
This variety is considered by some to be unique, as it has excellent protection against many vegetable diseases and high yield. The first fruits ripen 40 days after transplanting the seedlings into open ground. The weight of each ripe zucchini is 500–600 grams. Thanks to this, 15 kilograms of harvest are obtained from one bush.
Tsukesha
Universal varieties of zucchini include a variety called Tsukesha. It is suitable for early and late plantings, as it is resistant to night temperature changes. Some people plant this variety of zucchini seeds in July in order to harvest a fresh harvest by the second half of autumn. Ripe fruits weigh more than a kilogram and their length is 35–40 cm.
Karizma
To plant zucchini in July, the variety Karizma is often chosen. Its fruits ripen completely within a month, making it possible to harvest in early autumn.The plant grows well in open ground, as it is resistant to diseases and pests. Also, Karisma bushes cope well with low temperatures.
How to plant zucchini seeds and seedlings?
There are two ways to plant vegetables - seedlings or seeds. When determining the appropriate method, the climatic features of the area and how quickly the fruits need to be harvested are taken into account. For example, if you need to quickly harvest a crop, you will have to immediately plant the seed into the soil.
Seedlings
Zucchini is often grown using the seedling method, as it is the most effective. When planting using this method, the seed is first sown in small pots. It is better to use peat containers to make it easier to transplant seedlings into the garden.
Before planting, a soil mixture consisting of two parts compost with ash and part sawdust is added to each planting container. Some people add seedling fertilizer in the form of superphosphate or potassium sulfate to help the vegetable grow faster.
During planting, small depressions about 4–6 cm in size are made in the containers, into which the seeds will be planted. When all the seed has been planted, the pots with the planted seeds are transferred to a lighted room.
After 2–3 weeks, the seedlings are transplanted into open ground. Some people are interested in whether it is possible to deepen and bury zucchini seedlings?
It is recommended to place only the root system of the plant in the soil, and leave the stem above the soil surface.
Seeds
It is recommended that you familiarize yourself in advance with how to plant zucchini seeds in open ground. First, prepare the soil in the area for planting the plant. Before planting, the soil is dug up and fertilized with mineral fertilizers.It is recommended to feed the area with fertilizers heated to 35–50 degrees.
Many people advise planting seed 2-3 times at weekly intervals. This will allow you to collect ripe fruits longer in the future. When planting, be sure to follow the zucchini planting pattern. The seed is planted in holes at a distance of 40–50 cm. After planting all the zucchini, the holes are filled with soil and watered with heated water.
How to care for July squash?
To reap a good harvest, you should properly care for the planted squash bushes.
Watering
When growing zucchini in open ground, the bushes must be watered. To do this, use only warm water, since it is this that will preserve the root system from premature rotting. Each bush consumes about 5–7 liters of water. In summer, watering is carried out daily to keep the soil constantly moist. In cloudy weather, the number of waterings is reduced to 2-3 times a week. Plants are also watered less often if they are grown in greenhouses.
With this growing method, frequent soil moisture leads to rotting of the roots.
Feeding
Cultivated zucchini must be periodically fed with organic or mineral fertilizers. It is recommended to fertilize weekly to get the maximum amount of ripened fruit. If this is not possible, then the bushes are fertilized at least twice. The first feeding is carried out during the flowering of the bushes. 60 grams of superphosphate, 10 liters of purified water and 40 grams of potassium nitrate are added to the soil.
The next time fertilizers are added to the soil after the first harvest of ripened fruits. In this case, the same mixture is used as for the first fertilizer. You can also add manure and compost fertilizers to the site so that you don’t have to use additional fertilizers in the future.
When are zucchini planted in July harvested?
Every vegetable grower should know when and how to harvest grown zucchiniso that they do not suffer from the first night frosts. The fruits are harvested two weeks after the bushes have finished flowering. Some extend the harvest time to three weeks to accurately harvest ripe fruits.
When harvesting zucchini, pay attention to their level of ripening. To determine the ripeness of fruits, their dimensions are carefully studied. A ripe zucchini has a thickness of 7–8 cm and a length of about 10–15 cm. Ripeness is also determined by touch. If a dull sound is heard when tapped and the surface of the vegetable is hard, then the fruit is fully ripe.
Some people want to harvest early and therefore wonder whether it is possible to harvest zucchini planted at the end of July in the first half of September. It is better not to do this so early, as the fruits will not have time to ripen.
Conclusion
Many vegetable growers plant zucchini in July for a fresh harvest in the fall. Before planting a vegetable, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of planting it and caring for the planted bushes.
