Cucurbita pepo

Zucchini

Tendril-bearing herbaceous annual. Prickly stems and petioles. Triangular to ovate-triangular leaves. Flowers erect, with sharply pointed corolla. Edible fruit of many shapes and colours.

Uses

Fruit need to be continually harvested before they become too large. Can be dried, frozen, preserved, boiled, steamed or used in stews. Vegetable.

Culture

In temperate areas sow seed after the threat of frosts. Requires a large area per plant to be productive. Good aeration and a constant supply of moisture and nutrients are essential. Requires high levels of nutrients for a good crop. Apply liquid fertiliser during fruiting. Soil pH should be approx 6.0 Planting alongside beans will aid nutrient requirements. Pests include aphis, mites and leafhopper. Diseases include downey and powdery mildew, fusarium wilt, black rot, alternaria and anthracnose. Remove diseased leaves and fruits as soon as they appear. http://osu.orst.edu/Dept/NWREC/zuc.html

Propagation

No information available at this time...

More from ACS