Squash and zucchini belong to the gourd family. But these vegetable crops are not at all the same as many people think. What are their main differences, we will tell in our material.
Features and Description
Each of these cultures has its own characteristics. If you compare them, it immediately becomes clear that the vegetables are strikingly different.
Did you know? Zucchini are not only green, but also yellow, black, as well as striped and spotted.
Patissonov
Patissons are herbaceous annual plants with a highly developed fibrous rhizome. The stems of the plant are in the form of lashes or erect. Their surface is covered with small spikes or hairs.
The leaves are large, five- or triangular, planted on long thick petioles. The surface of the leaf plates is covered with a hard pile, painted green. The edges of the leaves are slightly dissected. They are smaller in size than pumpkins and zucchini.
Flowering occurs in mid-July. Flowers dioecious – male and female, bell-shaped. Consist of 5-6 petals. Painted in bright yellow or orange.
The ripening of the crop lasts 10–20 days longer than that of zucchini. Squash reach technical maturity on the 60-70th day from the moment of germination. It takes 120 days to obtain physically mature specimens for seed propagation.
100 g of raw fruit contains 18,748 kcal.
Overripe fruits have a porous structure, the pulp becomes hard and unsuitable for eating. Patisson is an allergenic product that is prohibited for use by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under 10 years old. In addition, squash should not be used for diseases of the intestinal tract, diabetes.
Important! Patissons that have been on the bush for more than 2 weeks accumulate toxins, so their use can cause serious poisoning.
Kabachkov
Zucchini are also herbaceous annual plants with a fibrous rhizome. There are bush, semi-bush and long-leafed forms.
The stem is covered with stiff hairs. The leaf plates are large, five-lobed, with pointed edges, covered with coarse fluff, painted dark green, sometimes with white patches, planted on long large petioles.
Dioecious flowers of bright yellow color consist of 5 petals. They are located separately, mainly on the main stem, sometimes on the lateral stems of the first order.
Fruits reach technical maturity on the 40-50th day from the moment of emergence of seedlings, physical – on the 100th day.
100 g of raw zucchini contains 24 kcal.
The most useful fruits are those that have reached a length of 15–25 cm. They can be used to prepare caviar even when overripe. The scope of zucchini is much larger than the squash. In addition, overripe fruits can be stored for more than 3 months. Unlike squash, zucchini has practically no contraindications for use, with the exception of the stages of exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.
What is the difference between zucchini and squash
In the comparative table, you can take a closer look at the main differences between squash and zucchini:
squash
Squash
The fruit has an oblong shape The fruit is similar in shape to a plate or a star A well-ripened fruit can reach a length of 50 cm The size of the fruit does not exceed 8–12 cm in diameter Suitable for eating at any stage of maturity, they retain their beneficial properties for a long time after removal from the whip At the stage of physical maturity unsuitable for consumption The pulp is tender, with a high content of juice The pulp has a porous structure, dryish Can be used raw, in the form of juices or an additional ingredient in a salad Subject to mandatory heat treatment before use Refers to the products of a universal direction in terms of use More often used in conservation
Growing conditions
The conditions for growing plants are no different. The only caveat is that they need to be placed away from each other so that cross-pollination does not occur.
Cultures are demanding on sunlight, so it is best to place them in an open area. The soil must have a loose structure. Plants develop well on soils fertilized with organic matter.
The site for planting should be prepared in the fall:
- Clear the area of plant debris.
- Treat with 1% copper sulfate solution.
- After a week, dig the soil 30 cm deep.
- Apply 10 kg of manure and sand for every 1 m².
- Dig the soil to a depth of 20 cm.
In the spring, a month before sowing, similar manipulations are carried out. Sowing is carried out in late May or early June. Seeds are buried in 2 pcs. to a depth of 3 cm. The distance between pairs of seeds is 70 cm. After spitting the seeds in a week, one powerful sprout is left in each hole.
Important! In the northern regions, when cultivating zucchini and squash, plants need to be pinched, leaving only one lash.
Watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries to a depth of 3–5 cm. For every 1 m², 20–30 liters of liquid are consumed. Watering is carried out in a ditch dug at a distance of 30 cm from the main stem. In parallel with irrigation, organic fertilizing is carried out (10 l of manure solution per 1 m²). After each watering, you need to loosen the soil.
Differences in taste
Zucchini has a bright taste, high juice content. Its pulp has a delicate texture. Patisson is similar in taste to artichoke and asparagus, and in pickled form – with pickled mushrooms. The pulp is more dense structure.
Appearance
The squash fruit has the shape of a plate or a star. The color varies from white to bright yellow, depending on the cultivar. The surface of the fruit has a smooth or warty texture. The fruit weight is 100-800 g.
Zucchini fruits have an oblong shape. The color varies from white to light green. The surface of the fruit is smooth. The weight of a squash that has reached technical maturity is 700-900 g, physical – 1,5-2 kg.
Did you know? In the Mediterranean, one of the most popular dishes is squash flowers fried in batter.
Storage and preparation tips
Young zucchini can be added to salads, cooked from caviar or canned. Pickled zucchini tastes like pickled cucumbers and closes according to the same principle. Overripe fruits with a length of 45 cm or more can be stored all winter, if you approach the preparation process correctly:
- Select fruits with thick skins.
- When removing from the bushes, leave 5 cm of the stalk.
- Carefully clean the skin of dirt.
- Leave the fruits in the sun for the whole day.
To preserve the valuable qualities of the product, the room must be maintained at a temperature of +4 … + 10 ° C and a humidity of at least 80%. In such conditions, zucchini can be stored for up to 5 months. Throughout the winter, they can be used for making caviar, pies or stuffing. It is permissible to store young specimens in the refrigerator for no more than 3 weeks. When frozen, the shelf life of zucchini is 12 months.
Squash collected at the stage of technical maturity can be stored at home for about a week at a temperature not exceeding +10°C. Fruits that have reached a diameter of 3–5 cm are best rolled into jars, 7–10 cm are used fried in combination with potatoes.
You can save squash for the winter in dried form. To do this, the fruits must be cut into thin slices, add salt and spices to taste, and then spread out in the sun. Drying can also be done in an oven at +50°C with the door open. In this form, the shelf life of squash can be up to 5 months. Small fruits can be frozen. In this form, the shelf life is extended to 12 months.
Zucchini and squash belong to the same family, but are completely different cultures. Each of them is unique and valuable in its own way, which allows them to be used as homemade ingredients.
