This article will focus on a vegetable called zucchini. The best varieties for open ground, cultivation features, origin, as well as a few simple recipes for he althy and satisfying dishes - all this you will find in our material.
What is this vegetable?
Zucchini is an annual heat-loving plant, the closest relative of pumpkin. Its fruits are usually oblong in shape, although there are also round varieties. The peel of the vegetable is white, pistachio, green or yellow. Thanks to a number of useful trace elements and vitamins, as well as an incomparable taste, zucchini is popular all over the world.
Legend
According to Indian epics, the zucchini was given to people by the gods. In one fishing village, while the husbands were on a long voyage, the women and children suffered from hunger. Mothers prayed to the almighty gods to send down to earth a fruit as tasty as the flesh of a fish, and as unpretentious as a weed. The celestials thought and showed the world a zucchini. How much its taste resembles fish is a big question, but about the ease of cultivation, they really do notwrong.
Where does the zucchini come from?
Few of the gardeners wondered where the well-known zucchini comes from. But knowing about the features of its growth in its natural environment, you can create the best conditions for this culture on your site.
South America is considered the birthplace of the vegetable, although it can be found in both Central and North. Its cultivation took place a very long time ago: the Indians grew zucchini 3000 years ago, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds. The vegetable came to Europeans relatively recently - in the 17th century, and was first cultivated as an exotic plant in botanical gardens. Only squash seeds were eaten, which tasted like pumpkin seeds. In the middle of the 18th century, the miracle vegetable reached Russia, where it was consumed in an unripe form.
How to plant and grow zucchini
To make zucchini seeds germinate faster, they should be soaked for 4-5 hours in cool water, and then wrapped in a damp cloth or cotton wool and put in a warm place for about a day (they should swell slightly, but not germinate). Then they are slightly dried and sown in open ground in late April - early May (based on weather conditions). Seeds will begin to germinate at temperatures above 10°C.
Zucchini is a fairly sprawling plant, so one copy should have a plot of at least 70 × 70 cm. Seeds are planted in moist soil to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. Many gardeners cover the planting site with polyethylenefilm to maintain the required humidity.
Black soil is ideal for growing zucchini. This melon culture grows well both on alluvial river lands, and on chestnut, on fine loam. It is also important to consider which plant was cultivated in the garden earlier. The best precursors to zucchini are tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, potatoes and legumes.
During the period when the ovaries begin to form, the plant must be fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. More often than others, fresh mullein (5 kg per 10 m²), bird droppings (1.5 kg per 10 m²), slurry (5 kg per 10 m²) are used. Ammonium nitrate (120 g per 10 m²) is considered the best mineral top dressing.
What are the criteria for choosing a variety?
Every time in the spring, many begin to think about what kind of seeds of this or that vegetable to buy this year. How not to miscalculate among such a variety?
Before you buy seeds, you need to choose the best variety. It is recommended to take into account the location of the personal plot: if the cottage is located in the northern regions, frost resistance is especially relevant.
Depending on the size of the proposed beds, it is important to pay attention to the shape of the bush, its compactness and tendency to branching.
The harvest directly depends on the quality of pollination. There are plants that are pollinated by insects, but a self-pollinating zucchini has also been bred. Bestvarieties for open ground still imply the presence of bees, butterflies and other nectar collectors.
Domestic or imported varieties: which is better?
Each variety has its advantages and disadvantages. When choosing, you need to be guided primarily by how the zucchini will be used. Some grow these vegetables in the hope of long-term storage, while others, on the contrary, dream of getting an early harvest that will be eaten raw, as well as for frying and canning.
Unlike foreign varieties, domestic varieties are more resistant to frost and sudden changes in temperature. Therefore, for cultivation in central Russia and in more northern regions, it is better to choose seeds from local breeders. The fruits of such zucchini, although they do not have a presentable appearance, are perfectly stored and taste wonderful.
In hotter regions, on the contrary, foreign varieties, especially Italian ones, have proven themselves better. They have more juicy pulp, are characterized by early maturity and excellent taste.
Early varieties of zucchini
Every gardener and gardener wants to get a harvest as soon as possible. For large agro-industrial complexes, rapid maturation is a quick profit and a good turnover. For the most impatient, breeders have brought out quite a lot of interesting precocious crops. What kind of zucchini to plant? The best outdoor varieties with a short maturation period are presented below.
Odessky-52
This is an old, time-tested variety, bred by Ukrainian breeders in the middle of the last century. From the first shoots to a ripe fruit - only about 40 days. The shape of zucchini is oblong, the peel is milky or greenish in color with small spots. The flesh has a pinkish or yellowish tint. The variety is very productive, resistant to diseases and frosts. The shape of the bush is compact. Odessa-52 is recommended to be consumed fresh and canned, because, like many early varieties, it lies poorly.
Aeronaut
This zucchini squash is one of the most sought after. The variety is characterized by a short main shoot and a neat little bush. It is ideal for small gardens. Zucchini Aeronaut has smooth oblong fruits, evenly colored in dark green. The pulp is yellowish, juicy, the peel is thin. Ripening period - 46 days. The fruits are used for canning, frying, salads.
Zucchini Aeronaut has only one drawback: it is susceptible to powdery mildew and various viruses.
White
Ultra-early variety: from shoots to the first harvest - a little more than a month (35-40 days). Zucchini White is distinguished by light oval fruits of medium size (up to 1 kg). The flesh inside is creamy, very juicy and tasty.
The variety is resistant to various diseases, unpretentious in terms of care and versatile in use. It is pickled, fried, eaten raw. Low sugar content allows you to use white zucchini for baby food and dietdiabetics. It is also suitable for long-term storage and does not lose its taste and useful properties for a long time. Thanks to all these advantages, it is very popular among gardeners.
Sosnovsky
This variety matures in just 33-34 days. It is intended for cultivation in open ground in the southern regions of Russia, in Ukraine, in Moldova. Sosnovsky zucchini is distinguished by thin-skinned oblong fruits of white or beige color. The pulp is yellow, fibrous, with a high content of juice. It is used for canning and diet menus.
Anchor
This variety is early ripening: the harvest can be harvested already 40 days after the appearance of the first cotyledon leaves. The fruits of zucchini Anchor are oval and rounded. The peel is colored in light green tones, soft to the touch.
Of the advantages, one can note resistance to low temperatures, good preservation, high yield (up to 9 kg from one bush), excellent taste of the pulp. The main drawback that Anchor zucchini has: the variety does not resist various diseases well.
Popular zucchini varieties for long-term storage
- Starling. Due to long-term storage without loss of nutrients and taste, many people choose these zucchini. Cultivation and care in the open field will not cause trouble. Seeds are sown immediately in the garden (the distance between the holes is 60 cm). In the future, only regular watering, loosening the soil and top dressing will be required.
Fruits at Skvorushkathey are distinguished by a dark green skin and a slightly ribbed cylindrical shape. The weight of zucchini can reach 1.2 kg. For fresh, stewed and fried consumption, young small specimens are selected immediately after cutting. Vegetables intended for long storage should be well ripened.
- Gribovsky-37. This old variety is known to all self-respecting gardeners. It was obtained by domestic breeders back in 1943, and has since gained unprecedented popularity. Among the advantages, the following can be noted: Gribovsky zucchini has a high yield, tolerates drought and prolonged cold spells, and is unpretentious in care.
The fruits of this variety have a cylindrical, slightly "pot-bellied" shape with a pronounced ribbing at the stem. The peel is greenish or milky in color, quite dense. The pulp is white, medium elastic. Zucchini Gribovsky is good for both home cooking and long-term storage.
- Iskander F1. Maybe you should plant a hybrid zucchini? The best varieties for open ground in this case are Kavili F1 and the famous zucchini Iskander F1, reviews of which are purely positive. These hybrids were created by Dutch botanists a long time ago. Their main advantages are resistance to various diseases, high yield, ability to set fruits at low temperatures.
At least for one season you should try to plant Iskander F1 zucchini on your plot. Reviews about it give hope for a high harvest, whichcan be stored for a long time.
It is worth noting that seeds obtained from a hybrid fruit cannot be used for subsequent planting.
Yellow zucchini
- Goldfish. Zucchini yellow varieties Zolotinka are characterized by early maturity, compactness of the bush, good taste and pleasant appearance. Like other yellow or orange vegetables, they are rich in carotene and are used to prepare children's and diet meals.
- Yellow fruit. This variety is a bush squash of high yield. The fruits are smooth or slightly ribbed, cylindrical in shape, tapering at the end. The plant is suitable for small areas, as it has a compact size.
- Golda. Another representative of yellow zucchini. This hybrid is well proven among experienced gardeners. Its sunny fruits have an oblong, slightly ribbed shape. The pulp is creamy in color, quite dense and very tender. These vegetables are distinguished by great versatility of use: they are fried, stewed, canned. In addition, Golda zucchini is perfectly stored if you wait until they are fully ripe.
Round zucchini
- Ball. Zucchini round varieties Ball is ideal for stuffing and baking. The shape of the fruit is easy to guess by the name, it really looks like a ball when ripe. Zucchini skin - light green with small specks. The peculiarities of cultivation include a special dislike for drafts, in general, the plant is unpretentious and high-yielding.
- Watermelon. This variety is the result of crossing with the gourd of the same name, and outwardly it really looks very similar to it. The features of this variety are large pink seeds, very long storage (up to a new harvest) and long lashes. When planting Watermelon, the distance between the holes should be at least 2 m.
This is not all varieties of such an unusual shape. Kolobok, Tintoretto, Bourgeois F1, Festival F1 are also suitable for open ground.
Round zucchini, varieties, description and benefits of which are outlined above, are becoming more and more in demand.
Unusual varieties
- Spaghetti. This early ripening variety has a unique feature: when cooked, the flesh rolls into thin flagella, reminiscent of real Italian pasta. In addition to the appearance, the flesh of Spaghetti is somewhat reminiscent of this familiar dish from childhood. It is important to let the zucchini ripen to the end: it is in this case that it will show all the taste.
Is it difficult to cultivate such zucchini? Cultivation and care in the open field do not distinguish them from ordinary varieties.
- Pear-shaped. Another outlandish zucchini is pear-shaped. In addition to the shape, it is distinguished by bright orange flesh, very fragrant and tasty. Its fruits are not very large (about 20-25 cm in length). The advantage of this variety is a long fruiting period.
Pear-shaped zucchini is well stored and transported. Thanks to its excellent taste and decorativeness, this variety is becoming more and more popular every year.
Delicious recipes
For eating raw zucchini, choose young fruits the size of an average cucumber. Their skin is thin, the flesh is juicy, and the seeds are just beginning to form. There are many recipes for he althy and simple dishes, the preparation of which will not be difficult.
Zucchini salad with cucumbers
Required products: cucumbers (300 g), zucchini (250 g), green onions (30 g), garlic (3 cloves), mayonnaise (5 tablespoons), herbs, s alt.
Peel the zucchini and cucumbers, cut into thin sticks. Finely chop the onion and herbs, pass the garlic through a press. Combine all ingredients, mix well.
Many people promoting he althy eating replace mayonnaise with olive oil or sunflower oil. You can also add homemade cheese or mozzarella to such a salad.
Zucchini caviar
What you need: zucchini (3 kg), onion (0.5 kg), mayonnaise (250 g), tomato paste (250 g), sunflower oil (150 g), s alt (2 tablespoons), sugar (1/2 cup), ground black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), bay leaf (1 piece).
Onions and peeled zucchini must be scrolled through a meat grinder, then add mayonnaise, tomato paste and oil. Boil the resulting mixture over low heat for 1 hour. Then add s alt, sugar, pepper and bay leaf. Cook for 1 more hour. Spread hot in sterilized jars and roll up.
This dish is suitable for both daily diet and festive table.
Stuffed zucchini
We will need: minced pork (350 g), 4 young round zucchini, 1 medium-sized carrot, 1 onion, 1 garlic clove, herbs, olive oil, pepper, s alt.
First you need to cut off the top of the zucchini and carefully remove the pulp with a spoon. Finely chop the onion, carrot, garlic, add to the minced meat and mix well. Then sprinkle the resulting mixture with olive oil, s alt, pepper, add chopped greens.
Pots of zucchini fill with minced meat, put on a baking sheet or in a baking dish and cover with foil on top. The dish is cooked in an oven preheated to 180 ° C for 45 minutes. Next, you need to remove the foil and put it back for another 15 minutes. You can sprinkle grated cheese on top for a crunchy fragrant crust.
