What kind of zucchini grows in a warm bed?

Zucchini can be described in two words: simplicity and unpretentiousness. Growing this vegetable isn't particularly difficult, but few people know that its productivity can be doubled. In conditions of limited land, increasing the quality of the harvest and the number of fruits harvested from one bush is an important fact.

Growing zucchini in a heated bed isn't a new technique, but not all gardeners are familiar with it. This article will explain how to get a double harvest from a single plant with minimal labor and what types of zucchini grown in a heated bed can be found.

How to create an underground heat source

The climate of central Russia has recently been frequently setting temperature records. Heat-loving plants can struggle to achieve the necessary green mass and a good percentage of fruit ovaries in such conditions. In turn, gardeners have to put in extra effort to achieve a decent harvest.

Technology of arrangement warm bed It can provide any plant with comfortable conditions for root development and protect young seedlings from recurrent frosts. Such plantings require no ventilation or additional cover, as the plant roots are always kept warm.

Zucchini thrive on warmth and nutritious soil, so to speed up the growing season, prepare the planting site in advance. Soil preparation can begin as soon as the snow melts. The choice of location should primarily be based on good lighting. Sunlight can awaken the underground heat source that will be established in the spring.

To create a warm bed, you'll need organic material such as old leaves, unrotted compost, or old newspapers. In the area chosen for the zucchini, dig a trench 50 cm deep. Line the bottom of the hole along its entire length with all the above-mentioned organic matter. The second tier of the bed should consist of a peat-sand mixture, which can be enriched with wood ash. The above-ground portion of the "layered pie" should consist of composted soil.

Once all the layers are laid, the resulting thermos should be generously moistened with a warm mullein solution. This ingredient, combined with sunlight, will initiate the process of heat release from the organic matter. To speed up the warming process, the area can be covered with plastic wrap for a few days.

Method of accelerated seed awakening

To ensure 100% germination, zucchini seeds should be soaked in a stimulating solution such as Epin or Zavyaz. In a moist, warm environment, roots should appear within three days. If this doesn't happen, question the quality of the seed and replace it before it's too late.

Germinated seeds can be planted directly in prepared open ground. Avoid planting the seeds too deeply, as this may affect germination speed. The optimal planting depth is no more than 3-4 cm. To be on the safe side, place two seeds per hole. After germination, remove the weaker plant.

Before you start planting zucchini, you should familiarize yourself with lunar sowing calendarThis should be done to avoid unfavorable days. In the central part of the country and the Moscow region, zucchini planting begins in the second half of May, but if you have a warm garden bed, this work can begin during the May holidays.

How to increase the number of fruits and speed up their ripening

F1 hybrid varieties are characterized by a higher number of female inflorescences and are also capable of producing fruit without pollination. These factors, taken together, contribute to the high yields of these varieties.

Bee-pollinated varieties with bisexual flowers are most often used for open ground cultivation. To maximize the number of ovaries on these plants, it's important to ensure unimpeded access for insects. The large leaves of the plant often act as an umbrella, preventing bees from noticing the blossoms. To ensure maximum pollination, the plant should be thinned. Removing excess foliage will allow the squash to conserve its energy for fruit formation.

When young fruits are formed, partial formation is often observed ovary rotThis phenomenon can be caused by excessive humidity. Therefore, if there are many cloudy and rainy days, watering should be reduced.

On cool days, insect activity may also decrease, in which case hand pollination can be performed. To do this, place a plucked male flower next to several female flowers.

Additional feeding of zucchini

Three fertilizing sessions are required throughout the growing season. The first application is before flowering. During this period, zucchini plants require organic supplements and complex fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. At least a liter of the nutrient mixture should be applied under each plant.

The next feeding is done during the period of abundant flowering. During this period, the zucchini requires potassium nitrate and superphosphate. The plant can also be watered with an ash solution. A similar feeding should be done during the period of active fruiting, but the dosage should be doubled.

Finally, it's worth noting that timely harvesting of ripened fruit has an equally significant impact on the yield. However, for zucchini to last a long time, it must be well-ripened. Gardeners usually check the ripeness of the fruit by the thickness of the skin. If the skin can be broken with a fingernail, the vegetable is considered young and will not last until winter. On the other hand, fruits with a hard skin, despite their shelf life, are quite difficult to peel.