How to Grow Zucchini & Summer Squash Plants: The Complete Guide (2024)

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Zucchini are members of the squash family, so they need to be bathed in warmth and sunshine to thrive. Shelter them from strong winds, too, so bees and other insects can go about pollinating the flowers inpeace.

Pick a location with full sun, shelter from the wind for good pollination, and soil that is moist (not soggy) and well-draining. Squash also produces well if well-fed. Mix aged manure and/or compost into the soil before planting.Learn more about preparing soil for planting.

Their robust growth and big leaves make them hungry feeders. Add plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure to the soil before planting. In fact, you can even plant zucchini on top of a compost heap – if you won’t be needing it till fall, thatis.

Or prepare planting pockets: a few weeks before planting, dig out a hole, fill it with compost, then return some of the soil, along with a handful of organic fertilizer. The nutrient-rich filling will prove a veritable feast for the plants growing init!

When to PlantZucchini

• Wait to plant seeds or transplants in the ground until the soil is at least 65 to 70 degrees. This may be mid-spring for some regions, but often, it’s fine to plant by late spring.(Don’t start too early, as the seeds will not germinate in the cold, and you’ll do the plant nofavors.)
• Direct-sow seeds (i.e., directly into the ground) when all danger of frost has passed, and the air and soil are at least60ºF. See yourlast frost date.
• If you wish to start seeds indoors, start seeds in peat pots 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost; note that squash seedlings do not always transplant well; handle the roots gently. Fill pots or plug trays with potting mix and sow one seed per pot or plug on its edge. They will germinate quickest with a little warmth, but so long as you can guarantee a frost-free environment, they’ll eventually pushthrough.
• Warm the soil with black plastic mulch once the soil has been prepared in earlyspring.
• Do not rush to plant zucchini. Consider planting a few seeds in midsummer to avoid problems fromsquash vine borers and other early-seasonpests and diseases.

How to PlantZucchini

• Direct sow seeds in level ground 1 inch deep and 2 to 3 inchesapart.
• Or, sow 3 or 4 seeds close together in small mounds (or hills; the soil is warmer off the ground) in rows 3 to 6 feetapart.
• If necessary, use row covers, or plastic milk jugs, orcold frame protectionin cold climates for the first few weeks ofspring.
• Thoroughly water afterplanting.
• Adding a layer on top of mulch(such as garden compost) tolock in soilmoisture.
• You can also sow into seed flats or trays to separate out and pot on after germination. Do this as soon after germination as you’re able to handle them before the roots become entangled. Fill your pots and, holding the seedling by its leaves, not the stem, feed in the potting mix around the sides. Firm in andwater.

See our video showing how to grow the perfect zucchini everytime!

• Mulch to discourage weeds, retain moisture, and protect shallowroots.
• Zucchini thrive in moist soil. Water thoroughly, frequently, and consistently, with at least 1 inch per week. Water diligently when fruit form and throughout their growth cycle. The soil needs to be moist 4 inches down, so long soakings are best.Misshapen squash results from inadequate water orfertilization.
• Keep your zucchini well-watered, and top up mulches occasionally to help lock in soil moisture for longer. Plants tend to produce only male flowers at first, and pollination can also be slow to start with anyhow, particularly in cool or dampweather.
• Remove any weeds that manage to poke through.To keep plants tidy, cut off any dead or shriveling weeds. Top up mulches, using organic matter such as garden compost, to help roots stay cool andmoist.
• When the first blooms appear, side dress with a balancedfertilizer.
• Poor pollination by bees can be an issue. Squash flowers will not bear fruit or bear small fruit if not pollinated. Most squash plants produce both male (these appear first, on long thin stalks) and female flowers (these have an immature fruit behind them). To fruit, pollen from the male flowers must be transferred to the female flowers by bees—or by the gardener. Pollinate the female flowers manually with a cotton swab or add plants that attract bees near the squash. See our article on how tohand pollinate your squash blossomsfor betteryields.

• ‘Cashflow’: cylindrical zucchinitype
• ‘Cocozella (di Napoli)’:zucchini heirloom; dark green,slender
• ‘Goldbar’: yellow summersquash
• ‘Horn of Plenty’: yellow crooknecktype
• ‘Sunburst’: pattypan/scalloptype
• ‘Tigress’: zucchinitype

Harvest summer squash when tender and a bit immature (6 to 8 inches long) for more flavor. Believe us, oversize squash has very little taste. Many people wait too long to harvest. If you have ever had a negative experience with zucchini before, it’s probably because they were left to becomebruisers.

• Most varieties average 60 days to maturity, and are ready as soon as a week after flowering. (Check the seed packet for more exactinformation.)
• Cut (do not break) fruit off the vine with a sharp knife, or you risk damaging the soft stem of the plant. Leave at least 1 inch of stem on thefruit.
• To slow production, harvest fruit when small and/or remove maleflowers.
• If the harvest is interrupted (say, by your vacation), remove large squash on your return to reduce demands on the plants for moisture andnutrients.
• Complete the harvest before the first fall frost; summer squash is highly susceptible to frost and heatdamage.

In fact, the flowers make good eating too, typically stuffed or simply battered and then fried. But only pick the male flowers – that’s the ones without a bulge behind them – or else you won’t get anyfruits!

How to StoreZucchini

• Fresh summer squash has a relatively short shelf life. Store unwashed zucchini in a plastic or paper bag with one end open to encourage air circulation, and pop them in the refrigerator crisper drawer. They’ll keep for 10days.
• Too much zucchini? Freeze it! It will keep for 3 months.See how to blanch and store zucchini in the freezer!

Catherine Boeckmann