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
T                     T

(Best months for growing Zucchini in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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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08 Feb 11, (Australia - temperate climate)
where do you get the seeds from a zucchini plant so you can replant them and grow more the next season
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09 Feb 11, (Australia - arid climate)
Inside the plant there are the seeds
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29 Jan 11, mick (Australia - temperate climate)
i have never seen a better herb for attracting bees as a Borage plant and you can eat the flowers too.
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22 Jan 11, Ash (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, my zucchini is a really light green colour - not anything like those you buy in the supermarket? Is this normal? Should we pick it and eat it
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22 Jan 11, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Ash, Zucchini come in various shades from yellow to almost black/green. Your light green ones are quite alright to eat. If they have small raised 'ribs' along the length of them, they are particularly good.
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16 Jan 11, Jo (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi! I'm having the same problem in Mt Helena wa. I think it's due to less bees because of the drought. That's my only suggestion! I've tried putting buckets of water around to attract them.
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05 Jan 11, Kate Moore (Australia - temperate climate)
My zucchi plants grow enormous, flower copiously but then the fruit just shrivells away to nothing. I haven't had one fruit from either plant, despite about 10 flowers at a time per plant. I'm in Cottesloe, WA
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29 Jan 11, Tracey (Australia - temperate climate)
An even easier way to hand-pollinate - pick the male flower, pull the petals away leaving the stem and the stamen (the long yellow bit sticking out of the middle of the male flower) and brush the stamen onto the stigma (the thing inside the centre of the bloom) of the female flowers. You can do the same with other cucurbits eg pumpkins, cucummbers. I do mine on the way out of the house in the morning. Cucumbers are a bit harder as the flowers are so much smaller - you might need a paintbrush for those!
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09 Jan 11, Amber (Australia - temperate climate)
Me too, Kate! I'm in Trigg and experiencing the exactly the same with my zucchini plants. I was told that my problem is a lack of bees for cross pollination between the male ans female flowers...
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25 Jan 11, paul (Australia - temperate climate)
to hand pollinate: get a small soft paint brush, open the male flower gather pollen on brush then open female flower and light coat on the bit inside, you have now pollinated your zuchinni it should only take a couple of days to watch the zuchis grow, amazing!
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I have sown 2 sorts of courgette. The older seed (Italian) germinated as normal. The new seed purchased this spring has done nothing (the common yellow). At this stage seed pots are indoors

- Gill

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