When and How to Plant Zucchini

Zucchini is a type of squash that is usually eaten boiled, like yellow squash, or breaded and fried. It is easy to get zucchini plants to produce a lot of zucchini. In fact, if you have the luck many gardeners do with this plant, it may produce so much you will have plenty to give away to friends and family.

All vegetables need a good start in order to do well, however, and zucchini is no exception. Although it is one of the easiest vegetables to plant and care for, zucchini plants do have some special needs regarding soil temperature, sunlight and plant spacing.

Here are some items you'll need to get started planting zucchini

Zucchini starter plants

Long-handled spade

Short-handled spade

Garden hose

Bagged fertilizer (cow manure works well)

Rototiller or manual tiller

Garden rake

Watering can

How to plant zucchini: first

Prepare your soil for zucchini plants by tilling the soil adding peat to harder clay soils to loosen and aerate it, and by adding natural fertilizer such as cow manure.

Moisten the ground slightly to water the fertilizer in. Break up large clods of dirt with a garden rake or long-handled spade.

Remove zucchini plants from their pots, keeping the original dirt with them (no need to remove it) and poke one holes in the ground with your finger or spade. Holes should be big enough to hold the plant securely so it does not droop over. Space these holes for the plants at least two feet apart, preferably three or four feet.

Cover each hole loosely with soil and water with the watering can. This will provide moisture necessary for the zucchini plant to root, while at the same time keeping it from from blowing away in strong winds (and also, hopefully, preventing birds or other animals from easily digging them up).

Water the whole area of planted zucchini well the next day. After plant grows a bit, begin watering a little deeper each time.

* Zucchini require a soil pH around 6.5 to 7.5. To find out your soil's pH, you can either take a sample in to your local extension service, or buy a soil testing strip at a garden center.

*Zucchini plants need a lot of sunlight. They won't produce nearly as much if they don't get enough.

(Adding a caveat that a lot of sunlight doesn't mean you can let them scorch. Zucchini may do better with morning and early evening sunlight, rather than hot afternoon sun--keep this in mind when planting)

When to plant zucchini

* Wait until soil temperature has warmed, there is no danger of frost and outdoor temperature is consistently over sixty degrees Fahrenheit before planting zucchini seeds or plants; they will not do well unless it is warm enough and, if planted too early, seeds may not sprout at all.

How to plant tomatoes

Preparing soil for a Vegetable Garden