It is hard to imagine that zucchini was once grown in a botanical garden as a rare ornamental plant. Italian chefs were the first to discover the irreplaceable properties of a valuable vegetable. Now it is a fairly common culture, and not a single gardener will allow himself to bypass it. In our article we will talk about the most popular varieties of zucchini, which have already managed to take their rightful place among experienced farmers, we will talk about those that are best grown in the Moscow region.
Where does the choice begin?
The culinary properties of vegetables are the first thing to look for when buying seeds. There is an extremely diverse list of different zucchini dishes. Caviar and salads are prepared from them, they are fried, boiled and stewed. This is a profitable crop for winter harvesting. Each hostess strives to make a stock of zucchini in frozen or canned form. It should be noted that there are no universal species, and they all have their own varietal differences. There are varieties with a long shelf life. To meet the needs of yourfamilies, you need to find some of the best varieties of zucchini for yourself. It is recommended to buy seeds in specialized stores, as they have a germination guarantee.
Breeding differences
From other pumpkin zucchini are cold-resistant and earlier ripening. To speed up the fruiting process, some gardeners grow them in greenhouses. For these purposes, breeders create early varieties of zucchini, designed specifically for greenhouse cultivation. There are also stress-resistant species that can withstand powdery mildew, downy mildew and anthracnose. Such crops are intended for outdoor cultivation. It should be noted right away that the best varieties of zucchini for open ground are zoned plants that are suitable for the climatic conditions of your area.
Seed material is divided into domestic and imported. The advantages of the first include their good adaptation, high taste and suitability for conservation. Here are some of them: Spaghetti, Delicate Marshmallow, Tsukesha.
Imported hybrids also have their advantages. They are famous for high yields, and their fruits have an excellent taste and thin skin. Zucchini is used to prepare delicate salads that can be eaten raw. They are not suitable for conservation and are finicky in care. The most popular are: Golda, Parthenon and White Bush. There is another feature that distinguishes these varieties of zucchini. Hybrid seeds will have to be bought annually. Gather and sow themis not possible on its own, because their varietal qualities are lost over time.
Varieties for the Moscow Region
This region is characterized by spring frosts and the onset of late summer. Throughout the warm season, heavy rains are replaced by strong winds. Almost all the best varieties of zucchini for the Moscow region, developed for extreme climatic conditions, tolerate such conditions well. The only exceptions are very heat-loving species, such as Lagenaria and nutmeg. Consider the most common crops:
- Gribovskie. Widely used variety, early maturing. Cylindrical fruits at the stage of technical maturity weigh up to 850 g. It is famous for stable yields, more than 4 kg of fruits are harvested from a bush. This is the most unpretentious plant that can produce good yields in any region of the country. Its seeds can be harvested and stored for several years.
- Reel. Ordinary white zucchini, endures cold, has a long shelf life. The fruit has a rather rough skin. About 8 kg of fruit can be harvested from one bush for the entire summer season.
- Kavili F1. Recently, the variety is increasingly beginning to appear on the lists of many gardeners. Besides the fact that it has interesting external features (yellow spots on the leaves), its good culinary properties have also been revealed. The fruits grow small, but their main value is that, overgrowing, they remain juicy and tender. This species is now consideredsuper productive.
Based on the description, of course, you can choose your favorite hybrid that matches your personal preferences. In fact, it is difficult to give an objective assessment of taste. Species differences can serve as a hint for the choice. The best varieties of zucchini for the Moscow region can be divided into three groups: hybrids, traditional white and zucchini. For example, fruits with a strong skin are stored for a long time, but are less productive. Tender-fleshed zucchini give the gardener abundance, but quickly deteriorate. Below is a description of individual members of these groups.
Overview of outdoor varieties
The requirements for zucchini grown without shelter include: yield, taste, shelf life and temperature needs of the plant. We provide a description of zucchini that meet these conditions.
- Iskander F1. The Dutch hybrid can be included in all lists of the best varieties of zucchini for open ground. It can be attributed to both early ripening and those that are capable of great returns. With proper care, one bush gives up to 15-16 kg of fruit. Against the background of other hybrids, it stands out for its resistance to cold. The fruits are medium-sized, have a good presentation.
- Delicate marshmallow F1. The universal hybrid is the fruit of the work of Russian breeders. Its peculiarity is that it does not lose its taste properties during any heat treatment, because of this it is widely used in cooking. Zucchini has a sweet, delicate taste and is unusual for thisculture coloring. Their skin is yellow-green in color, with whitish stripes.
- Spaghetti. This plant can be safely included in the list of the best varieties of zucchini. This is a representative of pumpkin, revealing the diversity of this culture. The fruits are quite wide, oval. The peel is bright yellow, with white patches. The zucchini got its name because of the peculiar structure of the pulp. At the moment of technical maturity, it really resembles spaghetti. This becomes especially noticeable during cooking, when the pulp begins to delaminate into fibers. The plant itself is climbing, medium-sized. The maximum harvest time is 60 days.
- Parthenon F1. Foreign hybrid, almost identical to Iskander, one of the best self-pollinated varieties of zucchini. The plant copes with fruit set on its own, without the participation of insects. Thanks to this quality, squash bushes provide the farmer with generous harvests even during the rainy season. The color of the fruit is rich green with characteristic small spots, the surface is glossy. Disease resistant.
- Black handsome. Zucchini with an early ripening period, from the first sprouts to harvest takes about 1.5 months. It grows in the form of a neat little bush with a plentiful increase in green mass. The fruits are dark green, with a glossy surface. Usually they are the same in size, have a rounded, elongated shape, the weight of the average fetus is 1.5 kg. Zucchini has a long fruiting period.
- Golden. Another representative of zucchini varieties for open ground. Differs in high unpretentiousness to leaving andclimatic conditions. The plant quickly adapts to different types of soil. The fruits ripen early, about 14-16 pieces are removed from one bush, weighing 0.6 kg. For an undemanding plant, this figure is significantly good. It is worth paying attention to the external signs of culture. Against the background of its counterparts, it stands out with a catchy yellow color of the fruit.
For greenhouses
Zucchini species are the best adapted to greenhouse conditions. However, you can plant a variety of varieties and even several at the same time. Consider productive varieties of zucchini suitable for indoor cultivation.
- Zebra. The name speaks for itself. Fruits with pronounced stripes have a cylindrical shape and a ribbed surface. The period from the first shoots to fruit ripening is about 38-40 days. The pulp is yellow, juicy. The fruits are transportable and perfectly preserved for a long time. The bushes are slightly branched, resistant to powdery mildew. High-yielding variety, does not rot.
- Tsukesha. Bush, belonging to the best varieties of zucchini squash. It has a stable immunity to major diseases, has good taste. The bush is compact, without the presence of side lashes. The skin is green with numerous white dashes, thin, smooth. The inside of the zucchini fruit is crispy and tender. Can be consumed fresh. It is an early maturing variety with large fruits, sometimes reaching 1 kg in weight.
- Aeronaut. Early zucchini is grown in many regions of the country. Compact, low shrub with side shoots. The fruits are dark green with light spots. The pulp is white, very juicy. Vegetables can be removed after 1.5 months from the moment the sprouts appear. They are small, in a state of technical maturity, the average zucchini weighs a little over 1 kg. The aeronaut is prone to powdery mildew and viral diseases. Transported well.
These varieties can also be grown outdoors.
Preparation of seed material
When you have your chosen seeds of the best varieties of zucchini in your hands, they will need to be prepared for planting. Planting material is soaked for half an hour in a growth stimulator or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After processing, it is laid out in a shallow container, on the bottom of which a wet cloth is preliminarily spread. From above, the seeds are also covered with a damp cloth and placed in a warm place. The main thing is to provide the planting material with a moist environment. After the seeds swell (and this will happen in a couple of days), they need to be hardened. For this purpose, the container with the contents is placed on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator.
Planting methods
Planting of culture is carried out either in a permanent place in the ground, or in special cups for growing seedlings. An important role here is played by the variety of zucchini. For example, hybrid seeds are expensive, and pests can undermine them when planted in the ground. Planting material collected from its own fruits can be embedded directly into the soil. With this approach, it is always necessary to sow seeds with a margin. Everyone has itmethod has its advantages. Seedling - requires more attention, but gives early harvests, seed - contributes to the hardening of the crop and protects the root system from damage.
Ground requirements
Perhaps you will prefer a variety of zucchini with an average ripening period, then you do not need to sow the seeds in the ground. In this case, it is worth taking the trouble and germinating the planting material indoors. For growing seedlings, it is better to buy a special mixture in a garden store. It is scattered in peat cups and seeds are planted (2 pcs each).
If you have chosen for yourself the best variety of zucchini for open cultivation, then the soil is prepared as follows: in the fall, organic matter is introduced for digging; immediately before planting, one tablespoon of Effekton or a mixture of humus and ash is added to the hole.
Care
For some novice gardeners, it is not always clear why an unpretentious culture needs such diligent care. Indeed, if you plant an ordinary variety of zucchini and do not make any special efforts, they will still yield a crop. In fact, the secret lies in the fact that with a competent approach, you can increase the yield of fruits several times. After each regular feeding, the bushes are filled with strength and become capable of multiple returns. To extend the fruiting period of a crop, you need to follow some simple recommendations.
- Be sure to observe crop rotation. Pumpkin crops cannot be planted in their original place. Their beneficent predecessors -legumes, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, onions.
- Zucchini love black soil or well seasoned loamy soil. They can be planted on a compost heap.
- Young bushes should be covered with foil at night and when the temperature drops.
- Regularly control weeds and loosen the soil.
- Before planting, additionally fertilize the soil with mineral fertilizers. During fruiting, carry out complex top dressing.
- Do not water plants with too cold water. Humidification should be moderate, depending on the amount of precipitation.
- Do not let the fruits outgrow. They need to be plucked in a state of milky maturity. Otherwise, they will draw nutrients from the bush and it will have the strength to set new fruits.
- Zucchinis are very soil-depleting, which means that after harvesting, you must make sure to apply the required amount of fertilizer.
Reviews
Judging by the reviews, there are a lot of good varieties of zucchini. These include the cultures described in our article. Aeronaut zucchini is highly praised. Many housewives prefer multi-colored fruits. Of these, you can not only cook gourmet dishes, but also grow them for sale. The typical white zucchini still remains popular. Many summer residents are engaged in the cultivation of hybrids, as they give good yields, regardless of the weather.
Conclusion
Based on the description of zucchini varieties, we can conclude that the breeders madesignificant breakthrough in this area. Scientists strive to annually develop zoned plants that correspond to certain climatic conditions and taste preferences of lovers of these irreplaceable vegetables. In addition, some new varieties have good aesthetic qualities. This makes them a great table decoration item.
