Zucchini planting days: favorable dates for planting seedlings in 2021 in the Moscow region

Zucchini is a popular vegetable crop among gardeners. It's easy to care for, grows in virtually any soil, and always produces a good harvest. Its downsides include its high heat and light requirements; if seeds or seedlings are planted prematurely, they will die. Therefore, timing is crucial when growing zucchini.

The influence of the moon phases

A lunar month is only 28 days long. During this time, the moon goes through several phases, spending several days in each zodiac sign. Its influence on the Earth's surface can vary depending on each phase. The best time to plant zucchini seeds is during the waxing moon, when all the nutrients rise and photosynthesis is activated. Planting should be done on the following days:

The least favorable time for sowing zucchini seedlings for open ground is the New Moon or Full Moon. There's a high risk that the seeds will fail to germinate, or only a few will sprout.

Growing in the Moscow region

Before planting zucchini seedlings, familiarize yourself with the climate in your region. The Moscow region is quite cool. Zucchini should be adaptable to changing weather conditions, frost-resistant, drought-tolerant, and have a short growing season. The most suitable varieties for this region include:

• Iskander F1;
• "Tsukesha";
• "Tender marshmallow"
• White Bush F1.

The planting time depends on how the plant will be grown. If you're growing in a heated greenhouse, you can sow zucchini as early as February or March. For outdoor planting, sow seeds indoors between April 20 and May 12 for early harvest, and between May 14 and June 25 if you're growing for winter storage or canning.

Growing seedlings

There are three ways to plant zucchini seedlings in the Moscow region in 2021:

• at home when grown on a windowsill;
• in a heated greenhouse;
• in open ground.

The first and second methods are preferable for growing early seedlings if you want to harvest in early summer. If you need to grow a harvest in the fall for winter storage or canning, you can grow seedlings outdoors.

Seed preparation

Before planting zucchini, prepare the seeds. This should be done in several steps:

1. Remove them from their packaging and soak them in hot water for 4-6 hours.
2. Place in cold water and soak for 5 minutes.
3. Place gauze or cotton wool soaked in water at the bottom of any container. Toilet paper can be used instead. Place the seeds in the container and cover them with the same material.
4. Only seeds that have sprouted are suitable for planting. The rest should be removed.

Additionally, you can harden off the seedlings to ensure they grow strong and acclimate well after being planted outdoors. To do this, place the seedlings in the refrigerator for 12 hours, then transfer them to a room with a temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius.

Read also

How to grow zucchini outdoors
To enjoy zucchini dishes all summer long, and even make preserves for the winter, you need to grow a good harvest. How can you do this outdoors? Read this article. Here you'll…

 

Soil preparation

To plant zucchini seedlings at home, you don't need to prepare the soil. Simply purchase soil suitable for growing this type of vegetable from a specialty store.

To prepare the soil for growing seedlings indoors, mix 6 parts peat with 2 parts compost and the same amount of turf mix. Additionally, you can add 1 part rotted sawdust, ½ cup ash, 15 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium sulfide, and 5 g of urea; saltpeter can be used instead of urea.

Landing

To plant zucchini In the Moscow region for seedlings, do the following:

1. Fill the cups with nutrient-rich soil. Soak it in a 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate or hot water to disinfect it.
2. Place the sprouted seeds in each cup to a depth of 2-3 cm. The sprout should be pointing downwards.
3. Cover with soil.

Cover each cup with a plastic bag or film. Leave it there until the first shoots appear. Periodically wipe off any accumulated condensation. Once the first shoots appear, remove the film.

Care

Seeds should be germinated at a temperature of 19-22 degrees Celsius. Besides creating favorable conditions, plant care consists of the following:

1. Lighting is the key to growing plants. If it's insufficient, seedlings will begin to stretch upward. To prevent this, turn on an artificial light in the morning and evening.
2. The seedlings will only grow if the soil is loose. Once the seedlings emerge, they can be fertilized with organic fertilizer.
3. Humidity levels should always be around 70%. If the soil becomes dry, moisten it with a spray bottle or lightly water the roots.

Care consists of checking the condition of the seedlings. Regularly inspect them for diseases and damage. If necessary, take immediate action to eliminate pests or treat them.

Rules for planting seedlings

On favorable days according to the lunar calendar, it is recommended to plant zucchini outdoors. It's best to choose sunnier, wind-free areas where potatoes, onions, garlic, peas, beans, cauliflower, or cabbage were previously grown. It's not recommended to plant zucchini in a bed previously occupied by pumpkins, cucumbers, or squash. Transplant the seedlings outdoors as follows:

1. Make holes the size of the root system, at a distance of 70 cm from each other.
2. Pour a small amount of water over each of them.
3. Carefully remove the seedlings from the pot and transfer them to the hole.
4. Cover with soil.

In warmer climates, you can sow the seeds directly into the ground, 2-3 cm deep, after soaking and germinating them. In central Russia, you can also plant zucchini in May, June, or July if you need to grow a harvest for the winter. Care for them is the same as for seedlings.

Growing tips

Even if zucchini were planted according to the lunar calendar and all the rules, the harvest may still be meager. To increase the growth and ripening of the fruit, follow a few guidelines. tips on growing them.

• It is recommended to sow zucchini seedlings, so they grow faster and you can harvest a larger crop;
• You can start harvesting them immediately after they grow to a certain size; the smaller they are, the more delicate their taste;
• to speed up the ripening of zucchini, you can add ash or compost to the soil;
• Perform all earthworks during the waxing moon phase, following the favorable days according to the lunar calendar.

If you plan to store zucchini for a long time or prepare preserves from them, stop watering them 7-10 days before the expected harvest date. This is necessary to protect the root system from premature rotting. If it rains during this period, wipe the crop with a dry cloth after harvesting.

Possible errors

Many gardeners plant zucchini seedlings according to video instructions, observe the planting dates from February to May, and adhere to basic care rules and advice, yet still fail to achieve a good harvest. This may be due to the following mistakes made during cultivation:

• the planting of seedlings or seeds was carried out early, before the temperature had yet warmed up to 12 degrees Celsius;
• the seeds were purchased of poor quality or their expiration date exceeded 8 years. To prevent this, buy the product only from a reliable supplier;
• lack of light will cause the seedlings to stretch out;
• Lack of moisture in the soil will cause the seeds to dry out, water regularly;
• On the contrary, oversaturation with liquid can cause the seeds to rot.

Avoid mistakes when growing zucchini from seeds correctly. Then, by the second half of summer, you'll be able to harvest delicious and healthy vegetables that can be used for cooking, long-term storage, or winter preserves. Be sure to consider favorable lunar calendar days for all types of gardening.