How to grow zucchini in a greenhouse?

Zucchini are unpretentious crops, so in most cases they are grown in open ground. However, this does not mean at all that they cannot be cultivated in greenhouse conditions. On the contrary, this will allow you to harvest a richer harvest – an average of up to 30 kg of fruit per 1 sq. m. What should be considered when growing this vegetable crop in a greenhouse, and how to properly care for it, we will find out further.

Advantages of growing indoors

In greenhouse conditions, zucchini is rarely grown, because they please with a good harvest in the garden. Moreover, they are resistant to night cold and are undemanding to care for. However, even with this in mind, their cultivation in a greenhouse is not without meaning, as it offers the following advantages:

  • fruits ripen several times faster, which positively affects the amount of harvest;
  • when forming zucchini, they acquire a more delicate and delicious taste;
  • hybrids intended for cultivation under film conditions do not require increased attention in care;
  • seedlings are not attacked by pests and practically do not get sick;
  • early varieties can be profitably grown for sale on an industrial scale.

Zucchini do not require special soil composition and temperature conditions, so their cultivation in closed ground is inexpensive.

Variety choice

For growing in a limited space, it is best to choose F1 compact bush hybrids, since they simultaneously meet several important requirements – they take up a minimum of space, have high yields and a long fruiting period, and have excellent taste. If at the same time you also choose early hybrids, then you can grow them in a greenhouse throughout the year.

For sale, small-fruited varieties with zucchini of a light or medium-saturated shade are more preferable. It is important that the plant itself does not have growths on the petioles, so that it is easier and safer to harvest a large crop.

Taking into account the listed requirements, it is best to cultivate such varieties and hybrids in closed ground:

  • Quand F1. An early ripe variety bred at the Kuban Experimental Station of the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Growing. Recommended for cultivation in protected ground under small-sized film cover in the Northern, Volga-Vyatka, Nizhnevolzhsky, Ural and West Siberian regions. Fruiting occurs 52-61 days after the appearance of full shoots. Productivity – 20-25 kg per 1 square. m. Fruits weighing 1,1-1,5 kg and 21-28 cm long are excellent for processing and canning.

    Quand F1

  • Cavili. A hybrid of Dutch selection with a long fruiting period (more than 2 months). Usually, straight zucchini is harvested 45-50 days after germination, when they reach a length of 16-22 cm. Per 10 square meters. m greenhouse is enough to plant only 8-12 plants. Productivity – 10-60 t/ha.
    Cavili
  • Nemchinovsky. A hybrid variety of compact size, which does not form long lashes and bears fruit with pale green marrows weighing 610-770 g. The plant is early ripening, therefore it begins to bear fruit on the 38-48th day. It is characterized by a friendly return of fruits.
    Nemchinovsky
  • Aral F1. Adds to the list of the fastest-growing early zucchini – the first fruits can be harvested as early as 35 days. Zucchini, upon reaching technical ripeness, weigh about 0,5 kg and reach a length of 16-18 cm. The yield is high – more than 500 kg / ha. When grown in a greenhouse, the fruits should be harvested every 3-4 days, which will contribute to the formation of new ovaries.
    Aral F1
  • Dealer. Another early ripe variety of zucchini, the technical maturity of which occurs in 35-50 days. On average, fruits weigh from 0,5 to 1 kg and have excellent transportability.
    Dealer

greenhouse requirements

Zucchini grow well in polycarbonate greenhouses and in simple film shelters. In any case, to get a good harvest, it is worth taking into account a number of requirements for a greenhouse:

  • Even to get a good harvest, the greenhouse area can be small – about 45-50 square meters. m. Its height does not really matter, but for the convenience of caring for plants and harvesting between the bushes, it is worth maintaining a wide passage.
  • If you plan to grow a vegetable in the winter season, the greenhouse should be built on the foundation, and the wooden or metal frames should be covered with glass or polycarbonate. Additionally, it must be equipped with ventilation vents and a heating system using an electric boiler or wood-burning stoves. If the greenhouse is simply covered with plastic, then household heaters can be used. In expensive greenhouses, a system of automatic drip irrigation and climate control can be provided.
  • For zucchini, it is desirable to provide biofuel, which will warm not so much the air, but rather the roots of the plants. Such a pillow is prepared by mixing equal amounts of straw with rotted manure (pork, goat or cow). The resulting pile must be folded, poured well with water and left for 3-4 days under the film. Next, in the greenhouse, you need to remove the top layer of soil, evenly distribute biofuel and cover with a layer of nutrient substrate.

    Such a pillow is also an excellent top dressing for seedlings during the period of active growth, since it releases carbon dioxide, which contributes to the rapid ripening of fruits and improves their taste.

  • For zucchini in a greenhouse, you need to prepare light, oxygen-filled soil with a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction. Before planting events, it can be fertilized with ash or mineral dressings. It should be borne in mind that vegetable crops do not like to grow in the same place from year to year. It is best to alternate its planting with such crops:
    • onions;
    • cabbage;
    • garlic
    • legumes;
    • carrots;
    • tomatoes;
    • potatoes.

    To enrich and improve the structure of the soil, it is recommended to plant green manure.

  • After spring cultivation of the greenhouse, the soil should be mulched with sawdust or other organic matter. Such top dressing is also useful during the period of plant growth.
  • In the greenhouse, it is important to maintain optimal temperature conditions. During the day, it should stay at +23ยฐC, and at night it should not fall below +14ยฐC. The soil itself should be warmed up to + 20 … + 25 ยฐ C.

Method and timing of landing

In the open field, zucchini can be grown both by seedlings and seeds, but in a greenhouse it is much more efficient to use seedling technology. You can use it throughout the year, but it is best to do this at the end of winter – the beginning of spring, since it is autumn zucchini that have the best keeping quality (they last 2-4 months). In addition, it is by spring that the body needs vitamin support most of all.

If you start growing seedlings at the end of February or in early March, then the first crop can be harvested around the beginning of April.

Experienced gardeners have noticed that the exact timing of planting seedlings in a greenhouse depends on where they grow. In Moscow, it is worth picking it into the ground on May 5-10, in Siberia – May 15-20, and in the Krasnodar Territory – April 10-15.

Growing seedlings

To get a good crop of zucchini, you need to grow strong seedlings in early March. This procedure can be conditionally divided into several stages, each of which requires separate consideration.

Seed preparation

Seeds, even with 6-8 years of storage, germinate quite amicably. However, for this they need to be properly prepared, adhering to the following instructions:

  1. Pour seeds with hot water (+45โ€ฆ52ยฐC) and leave for 5-7 hours. Instances that float within the first few minutes are hollow, so they need to be fished out and discarded.
  2. To reduce the risk of developing fungal diseases, dip the remaining seeds for 2 minutes in ice water.
  3. Wrap the seed in a damp cloth and keep it for 2 days in a room where the temperature is at least +23ยฐC. During this time, keep the fabric moist.

Immediately before planting, the seeds can be soaked for several minutes in a solution of a stimulant or potassium permanganate.

Planting of courgettes

Planting seeds

Zucchini seeds are large, so they should be grown in separate containers. Considering that the plant does not tolerate transplanting well, it is better to use individual peat pots with a diameter of 10 cm or more for this. If there are none, you can use their plastic or wooden counterparts.

Soil for seedlings can be bought at a garden store or prepared independently by mixing for this:

  • 7 parts of garden land;
  • 5 parts of peat;
  • 3 parts mullein;
  • 150-200 g of ash;
  • 30-40 g superphosphate;
  • 25-40 g of ammonium nitrate.

With this nutrient composition, you need to fill the pots halfway. It needs to be well moistened the day before sowing. When planting, the seeds should be deepened into the ground by 1,5-3 cm. If they have sprouts, then they should be planted with the sprouted sprouts down. Plant 2 seeds in each hole. After sowing, the soil should be lightly watered, and then covered with a film or glass.

Most of the seeds will germinate in 3-5 days, but only the strongest sprouts should be left in the pots. The rest must be carefully cut off above ground level. In no case should they be pulled out, since this can damage the entire root system of the plant.

Care of seedlings

After sowing the seeds, it remains to provide competent care for the seedlings, which implies compliance with the following rules:

  • Until the first shoots appear, keep the pots at a temperature of + 26 … + 28 ยฐ C. When the first sprouts appear, lower it to + 17-18 ยฐ C during the day, and at + 12 … + 14 ยฐ C at night. This mode must be maintained for 4 days, and in the future it must be adjusted depending on weather conditions and time of day. So, on cloudy days, the optimum temperature is + 21-22 ยฐ C, and on sunny days – + 26 … + 28 ยฐ C. At night, it should be maintained at a level of + 17-18 ยฐ C.
  • Excessive watering should not be allowed, as well as the formation of a crust on the surface of the soil. All this can lead to the development of stem and root rot. To prevent this, seedlings need to be irrigated with warm water as the earth dries up.
  • When growing seedlings on the windowsill on the south side, the sprouts do not require additional lighting. On the east or west side, the daylight hours last at least 11 hours, so there is also no need for incandescent lamps. However, they will be required in the case of growing seedlings on the windowsill on the north side.

At the age of 20-25 days, the seedlings will acquire 3-4 true leaves. In this phase, it can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Planting seedlings in a greenhouse

The soil in the greenhouse in which the zucchini will be planted must be well prepared. To do this, it is desirable to introduce rotted manure into it from the fall at the rate of 10 kg per 1 sq. m and dig well. Mineral fertilizers can be applied directly to the holes before sowing at the rate of 30-40 g of nitrophoska per plant. After making, they need to be mixed with the ground in the hole.

Seedlings are often transplanted to a permanent place in early May or a little earlier. Before this, you need to warm the soil with a stove or electric boiler. To maintain a normal level of humidity in it and ensure the rapid maturation of the crop, it is worth mulching with sawdust, sunflower husks or other organic matter.

Picking should be done in the morning, in the evening or on a cloudy day. You need to do this by the square-nest method according to the following scheme:

  • distance between holes – 0,7-0,8 m;
  • row spacing – from 0,8 to 1,5 m.

Seedlings should be dived into the holes along with an earthen clod and deepened into the ground by 5 cm, and then sprinkled with earth to the first sheets, lightly tamped and watered. At this stage, the temperature in the greenhouse should be at the level of +14-15ยฐC. It is necessary to ventilate the room in such a way as not to lower it too much. Plantings can be covered with a film in which holes are made for each plant. Watering in the future to carry out in these holes.

Zucchini in a greenhouse

Caring for zucchini in a greenhouse

This vegetable crop is unpretentious even in the open field, so caring for it is quite simple, especially if you know the secrets of carrying out the necessary agrotechnical measures:

  • Creating an optimal microclimate. The plant does not grow well in conditions of too hot and humid greenhouses. The ideal temperature for the full development of seedlings during the day is + 24 ยฐ C, and at night – + 18 ยฐ C. Zucchini does not tolerate stuffiness, so the greenhouse must be ventilated daily to maintain humidity at 60-70%. In late April – early May, the frequency of ventilation should be increased.
  • Watering and loosening. It is necessary to water the seedlings with warm settled water (+19 … + 24 ยฐ C) not often, but plentifully. With the advent of the first ovary on the shrubs, the number of waterings should be increased to 3 times a week. During this period, 4 liters of water should be poured under each bush. A few hours after moistening, the soil should be slightly loosened and at the same time remove all weed crops. To reduce the evaporation of moisture, the soil surface can be mulched with sawdust or peat. Before flowering, it is worth excluding watering and slightly drying the greenhouse air. Such manipulation will contribute to the formation of more female-type buds.

    Watering must be completely interrupted 7 days before harvest, otherwise the fruits will have excessive water content.

  • Additional fertilizing. Zucchini is characterized by intensive development rates, therefore, additional application of the nutrient mixture can lead to rapid growth of shoots and leaves. In turn, this will negatively affect the formation of ovaries and fruit growth. Thus, zucchini do not need to be additionally fed during the development period – they have enough fertilizer applied before planting.
  • Shrub formation. The zucchini does not need to be pinched and shaped, however, in a dense planting of a bushy plant, it is worth removing the lower central leaves to improve air circulation and increase the illumination of the fruit. It is important that at least 15 leaves remain on one bush. In a neat plant, female and male flowers are easier to see. The first of them has a slight extension at the base, and the petiole is rather short. In male flowers, the petiole is longer and more even.
  • Pollination. On warm spring and summer days, the greenhouse needs to be ventilated to speed up the maturation of zucchini and attract insects for pollination – bees or bumblebees. To do this, the plant can also be sprayed with sugar syrup dissolved in water. If possible, it is worth putting a hive in the greenhouse at the rate of 1 piece per 500 square meters. m. Between the bushes, it is desirable to plant a small number of honey plants. If it is not possible to attract pollinating insects, then this procedure must be performed manually using a male flower with stamens. It is enough for pollination of 5-6 female flowers.

If zucchini is grown in winter, then pollination will have to be done only with the help of male buds. They ripen 7-10 days later than women, so in order not to lose a whole week, experienced gardeners plant seeds for seedlings in 2 stages: one part (10%) is sown 10 days earlier than the main one.

Harvesting

During the period of active fruiting, zucchini should be removed every other day and at least 3 times a week, since overripeness will lead to a deterioration in the taste of fruits and a slowdown in the formation of other ovaries, which will negatively affect the yield of the variety. In doing so, the following recommendations should be followed:

  • It is worth shooting zucchini, which have reached a length of 10 to 25 cm, and a diameter of 8-10 cm. Many of them reach these parameters 45-50 days after planting seedlings. It is not necessary to wait for the fruits to become too large, as they will be tasteless, and their peel will lose their softness and glossiness.
  • To check if the fruit is ripe, just tap it lightly. If you hear a dull sound, then it can be plucked.
  • It is better to cut the fruits with scissors along with part of the tail, since in the future it will become a good barrier to pests and infectious diseases. Harvested zucchini should be carefully transferred, as mechanical damage will worsen their presentation and shorten their shelf life.
  • Zucchini must be removed carefully so as not to damage the tops of the bushes and the resulting lashes. Injured plants do not recover well and may stop forming new ovaries.
  • When harvesting, remove both beautiful and full-fledged fruits, as well as deformed ones. If left on the branches of the plant, they will delay the development of new ovaries and reduce the yield of the bush.
  • If zucchini are intended for long-term storage in the cellar, they do not need to be pre-washed after harvesting.

Zucchini storage

Even an amateur gardener can grow zucchini in a greenhouse, since this vegetable does not require special conditions and high costs. Meanwhile, in order to obtain a good harvest, it is necessary to properly prepare strong seedlings, for which it is necessary to organize competent care after picking in closed ground. The development of this technology will allow the grower to grow zucchini under film all year round and successfully put them on sale.

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Anna Evans

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