Zucchini: growing and care in open ground. Growing zucchini in open ground

Zucchini is a popular and healthy vegetable. It contains potassium, sodium, coarse fiber, vitamins and minerals, and is low in calories, which is why it is one of the most popular dietary products. Easy to grow, tolerates long transportation and storage, the demand for zucchini is high both on an industrial and household scale.

Good yield (up to 10 fruits per bush and up to 70 tons per 1 ha) and the relative unpretentiousness of this plant make it one of the most profitable crops in the world.

To implement a business idea for cultivating zucchini, you will need to rent suitable land and equipment, purchase of fertilizers and correct processing soil before planting, purchasing seeds, an established system of uninterrupted watering and proper care for the plant, rental of transport for harvesting and organized distribution channels for finished products.

The rent per hectare of land depends on the region and the degree to which it is equipped with the necessary communications. The price can range from $15 to $60 per 1 hectare. Neutral or light sandy and sandy loam soils are suitable for growing this crop. Zucchini grows poorly after cucumbers and other members of the pumpkin family. But growing after root vegetables, cabbage, and onions is acceptable.

Soil cultivation involves harrowing and peeling in the fall, applying the first portion mineral fertilizers, manure, humus. The second part of fertilizing is done in the spring before sowing.

It is necessary to rent the following special agricultural equipment - plowshare ploughers, disc harrows, bed makers.

Zucchini varieties are divided into early ripening, mid-early, late, ultra-early, early ripening, and early hybrid. Many varieties were bred both in Russia, which makes them adapted to our climatic conditions, and abroad - mostly these are unpretentious hybrids, shade-tolerant and responsive to low temperatures, resistant to diseases, insects, and rot.

The most popular types are Apollo, Gribovsky, Zebra, Masha, Roller, White, Sangrum, Pharaoh, Cavili, Anchor. The cost of one kilogram of seeds depends on the variety - from 19 to 60 dollars. Seed consumption -3-5 kg ​​per 1 ha.

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Zucchini is grown in two ways - without seedlings and from seedlings. The latter method is more labor-intensive and expensive, but allows you to get the harvest 15-20 days earlier. Often, to speed up the planting process on large areas of land, transplanters are used. Their cost is estimated at 5500-6000 USD.

The seedless method involves sowing seeds in soil warmed to 10-13 degrees Celsius. The optimal temperature for seed germination is from 22 degrees. Sowing is very sensitive to frost, so if the temperature drops sharply, the plants may die. The equipment that is used at this stage is precision seeders. Cost – about 15 thousand $.

As noted above, the yield of zucchini increases significantly if the farm has an uninterrupted irrigation system. Installation of drip irrigation will require an additional cost of $450 per hectare. Irrigation norm – 300 cubic meters. m of water per 1 ha.

To prevent diseases, plants in the first leaf phase are thinned out, the soil is regularly loosened, treatment with fungicides is favorable, as well as fertilizing with superphosphates, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate before flowering and during the fruiting period.

The first harvest can be harvested 7-10 days after flowering, all subsequent ones - every 2-3 days. As a rule, harvesting is done manually, using the labor of hired cleaners. Payment for their services is $12.5 per day.

Transportation of the harvest is carried out by freight transport. The main distribution channels are wholesale and retail vegetable markets, food enterprises, retail chains, manufacturers of semi-finished products, canning factories.

The total cost of cultivating zucchini is 15-17,000 dollars per hectare of area (using a spot irrigation system). An early harvest - before June - is the most profitable in terms of sales. For 1 kg of zucchini you can earn 0.45 - 0.625 USD; later varieties are sold at almost half the price.

Based on this, the costs of seedling cultivation and the costs of drip irrigation to obtain ready-made fruits as early as possible are completely justified. The profitability of a business with such a high yield as 70-80 tons of vegetables per hectare is 200%.

Only in the 18th century did the Italians begin to use its unripe fruits for food. Since then, he has slowly gained popularity. Today, zucchini is already used as food by many people. But in order to enjoy this tasty and healthy vegetable, you need to grow it.

How to choose zucchini seeds for planting?

Zucchini is a plant of the pumpkin family. Its fruits are oblong in shape and come in different shades - from almost black to pure white. Today, two varieties of this plant are known - ordinary zucchini and zucchini. They belong to the same species, but are not exactly similar to each other physical properties. Zucchini has a larger number of female flowers and due to this, excellent yield.

They have tender and juicy flesh, and the skin does not become rough for a long time, compared to ordinary varieties zucchini. However, let's return to the choice of seeds for planting. There are many varieties of this healthy vegetable. You need to choose them depending on what kind of harvest and when you plan to get it. It is optimal to have several bushes different varieties, in this case you will be provided with zucchini from June to October. What to look for when choosing seeds? If you buy them in a store, then go to the manufacturer. It is better to purchase seeds from those companies whose products you are already familiar with. Many people prefer to grow vegetables from seeds. There are some nuances here.

There are many hybrids that are not suitable for seed production. Therefore, if you decide to get yours, then know that they can only be successful if it was not hybrid plant. Zucchini seeds are stored very well and do not lose their viability for up to 8 years. And even after the expiration date they can sprout normally.

Planting – seeds or seedlings?

Pretty zucchini heat-loving plant and do not withstand the slightest frost, so it is better to grow them in seedlings. This requires peat pots and specialized soil. But if you don’t want to spend extra money, then you can prepare the soil yourself. You need to mix compost, peat and garden soil in equal proportions.

Then the prepared soil is moistened, and one grain is placed in each of the pots, immersing them in the soil to a depth of 2-3 cm. Growing seedlings requires a certain temperature regime– from 10 to 22 degrees and good lighting.

With a lack of light, the plants will stretch and become thinner. After the sprouts appear, if necessary, water them with water. room temperature. When growing seedlings, they must be fed. For such purposes, it is best to use complex fertilizers Kemira or Agricola, designed for pumpkin crops.

In this case, you do not have to measure the dose for each element and add them separately. In the first days, the plants must be treated with one of the growth stimulants. It will prevent the seedlings from stretching and make them strong and disease-resistant.

Planting zucchini in open ground

Zucchini prefers light, nutritious soils and does not tolerate stagnant moisture. That's why clay soils not suitable for them. Moreover, the preparation of the bed for planting must be carried out in the fall, removing the previous crops. It is dug up for the winter, and in the spring it is leveled with a rake, while adding compost and mineral fertilizers. The time frame for planting zucchini seedlings in open ground is 30-35 days. Moreover, if the temperature is not yet high enough, it is recommended to cover it with film until the weather warms up.

Usually in spring it is already quite warm during the day, but there are still frosts at night. Therefore, the seedlings under the film must be opened slightly in the morning and carefully closed in the evening. When planting zucchini, use a 70-70 cm planting pattern.

It is better to do this in the evening, so they will have more time to take root. You can perform this procedure during the day, but only in cloudy weather so that they are not burned by the sun's rays. Seedlings grown in peat pots, plant them together, making sure that they are tightly pressed on all sides with earth and lowered 2-3 cm below the soil level. It is recommended to add organo-mineral substances to the hole before planting. It can be humus or compost in combination with mineral fertilizers. This mixture is added half a bucket per plant.

When planting zucchini seedlings, they must be watered - 1-2 liters of water per hole. The best place Sunny areas are suitable for planting them. Seedling method they are bred to produce early harvest. But there is also planting seeds in the ground. In this case, you will get later vegetables.

It is usually produced from the first ten days of May to mid-June. The bed for sowing is prepared in the same way as for seedlings. For faster germination, it is recommended to pre-soak the seeds in a solution of mineral substances or ordinary wood ash.

They are kept in it for 3 days, and then, after rinsing with water, they are left in a humid environment for another 3 days and only then planted in the ground. It is recommended to sow a couple of seeds in each hole at a distance from each other.

When several germinate, the stronger plant is left and the rest are removed. After sowing, the bed is covered with film until shoots appear.

However, when low temperatures the shelter is left until June. If you need zucchini for a long time winter storage, then the best planting dates will be from June 1 to June 10.

Zucchini care

At proper cultivation you will get strong plants and excellent harvest. What will it take? Caring for zucchini is quite simple and consists of:

• weeding,
• watering,
• feeding

Each stage must be completed on time. Weed as the weeds grow. Today there is great way To avoid this difficult work is to mulch the soil around the plant. Mulch can be any plant material, straw, grass clippings, sawdust and much more. A layer of it on the bed will not only save you from weeding, but will also retain moisture in the soil, which means that much less watering will be required.

This is a wonderful remedy for overheating the earth; mulch will not allow the sun's rays to heat up the soil too much, and thereby create good conditions for development and growth. When growing them without mulching the soil, it is recommended to hill up the plants - this will help them form additional roots and have a beneficial effect on growth.

But it is better to use soil taken from another bed for this, so as not to damage the roots of the plant.

It is necessary to water the zucchini regularly; it is better to do this with rainwater that has warmed up in the sun. Watering is carried out once every 10 days, 8-10 liters per square meter of land. This is usually done in the evening or early in the morning.

Fertilizing for the first time is carried out with ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium fertilizers in the proportion of 20:40:20 g per bucket of water. This amount is distributed over ten plants.

The second is carried out during flowering with the same composition of substances, only this amount is distributed among 5 plants. Feeding with a diluted infusion of chicken manure gives good results. When growing, do not forget about pollination.

To improve it, it is necessary to periodically move the leaves apart, giving access to the flowers for insects. To attract more of them, you can spray the plant with water and honey. If you grow zucchini in greenhouses or under film, then you must not forget about ventilation.

These plants cannot tolerate high humidity, and if there is excess humidity, the fruits will rot and diseases may appear. The period from flowering to fruit formation in zucchini is about 20 days. The harvest is usually harvested when the fruits reach a length of 10 cm. At this stage, they have not yet become coarse and can be easily cut with a knife. Plant growth occurs very quickly in warm weather and good care. One bush can produce up to 20 fruits over the entire period.

It is necessary to collect zucchini every other day, preventing them from overgrowing. With irregular harvesting, the formation of new ovaries slows down and the taste of the fruit deteriorates. If you grow zucchini for seeds, then in this case it is left on the plant until the skin hardens. They check the ripeness by lightly pressing the nail; if the skin is not pierced, it means the fruit is already ripe. Zucchini that has reached physical maturity can be stored for a long time in dry and ventilated basements.

The benefits of zucchini

Today it has been scientifically proven that these vegetables contain a lot of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, organic acids and protein, and they are also low in calories. Therefore, they are recommended to be used by those people who have decided to get rid of excess weight. By growing and using this vegetable for food, you will not only get a boost of vitamins, but also tasty and healthy dishes which can be prepared from them.

Even ethnoscience I found a use for some of them. For example, it is believed that squash caviar is useful for urolithiasis and metabolic disorders. Juice and flower decoction are recommended as a sedative. This wonderful vegetable can be grown on your own plot.

Just 10–15 years ago, zucchini was mainly grown on personal plots for their own needs, and in rural areas most of the fruits were used to feed domestic animals. Vegetable farms grew this crop almost exclusively for processing (at the same time they harvested large fruits, which were sent to canneries for caviar production). Currently, the situation has changed: in large supermarkets, young zucchini fruits can be seen almost all year round. This vegetable is not only in great demand, but has also become a good source of income for farmers.

ADVANTAGES OF ZUCCHIN
Of course, zucchini fruits have been used in home cooking before (for frying, stewing, pickling). As a rule, amateur vegetable growers used large zucchini (1.5–2 kg) for food, simply regretting picking small fruits. But after the appearance on our seed market of a more productive variety of squash - zucchini (which also has a more compact bush, which makes it possible to simplify and mechanize the processes of caring for the plantation), as well as the enthusiasm of the population vegetable diets, the situation has changed. Although even now it can be difficult to convince an amateur vegetable grower to harvest zucchini fruits weighing 500–700 g. But professional vegetable growers supply markets and supermarkets with just such small, glossy fruits that you immediately want to buy.

The growing popularity of zucchini is quite justified from a nutritional point of view. The dietary benefits of this vegetable are determined by the favorable ratio of potassium and sodium salts, not a large number of coarse dietary fiber and low calorie content (27 kcal per 100 g of product). The fruits will also contain sugars, proteins, minerals and vitamins. Zucchini dishes have dehydrating, anti-allergic and anti-anemic properties; they can be easily and quickly prepared. Zucchini fruits are widely used for various types processing in industrial and domestic conditions.

Zucchini producers will also be interested commercial products. First of all, this is an early ripening vegetable crop; fruit harvesting begins 50–70 days after sowing, depending on the variety and growing conditions. Another advantage of zucchini is its relatively simple agricultural technology, which allows even a novice vegetable grower to grow high-quality marketable fruits. At the same time, they tolerate transportation well and can be stored.

Amateur vegetable growers, in addition to these advantages, are also attracted by the varied colors of the fruits, as well as the presence of varieties with unusual round fruits. In addition, well-ripened zucchini can be stored until February and used for food during the winter months.

BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Zucchini belongs to the pumpkin family and is a type of hard-bark pumpkin (therefore, well-ripened zucchini fruits have a very hard bark). Plants can be either bushy (the length of the main cane reaches 0.5–0.7 m by the end of the growing season) or climbing (the main cane is up to 3 m long). The leaves of zucchini are large, pentagonal, depending on the variety, they can be entire or dissected, green or dark green. Feature some varieties - the presence of white or yellow spots, which novice vegetable growers often mistake for a manifestation of a disease. Another feature of zucchini is the pubescence on the stem and petioles in the form of prickly spines, which cause some inconvenience during harvesting.

Zucchini fruits are mostly short or elongated cylindrical (sometimes slightly curved), but they can also be round, sometimes slightly ribbed. The color of fruits at the technical stage can be white, cream, light green, green, dark green, bright yellow; some varieties have a grid or stripe pattern. The color of fully ripened fruits (biological stage) may differ from the color of the technical stage. Small (6–10 day old) zucchini weighing 300–700 g are used for food. It is these fruits that are harvested for sale and cooking. Fully ripened fruits are collected only by amateurs in September and used for food in winter.

OPTIMAL CONDITIONS
Temperature
Like most species of the pumpkin family, zucchini is a heat-loving crop. Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 8...10ºС. Plants stop growing at temperatures of 10...12ºС and may even die if the temperature does not rise above 5ºС for a long time. When growing this crop, you need to focus on optimal temperatures within 23...27ºС during the day and 18...20ºС (not lower than 15ºС) at night.

The soil
A good zucchini harvest can be obtained on fertile, loose, well-warmed soils (sandy loam, light and medium loamy), well-seasoned with organic and mineral fertilizers, with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

CHOICE OF VARIETY
Despite the fact that zucchini is not part of the main vegetable crops In Russia, a large number of varieties and hybrids (over 40) are currently represented on the seed market.

For commercial production
Before choosing a variety or hybrid for commercial production, it is necessary to analyze the market in which the fruits will be sold.

As a rule, among all the variety of fruit colors, producers choose varieties and hybrids with cream, light green and green colors. It has been noticed that in the southern regions light-colored fruits are more popular, and in the middle zone both light and dark-colored ones are more popular. For commercial production, it is better to choose varieties and hybrids with cylindrical rather than oval or pear-shaped fruits, which have a good presentation and are more popular. It is also advisable to pay attention to varieties and hybrids without thorns on the petioles and stems, with an open plant habit, which will greatly simplify harvesting. For commercial production, it is better to use F1 hybrids, which were created specifically for these purposes, although their seeds are more expensive (F1 Iskander, F1 Toskha, F1 Aliya).

For growing in the garden
Each amateur vegetable grower chooses a variety according to his taste, usually paying attention, first of all, to the color of the fruit. Many people like not only the evenly colored white, light green or green varieties, but also the striped, bright yellow ones. Early ripening varieties of zucchini for lovers - Polar Bear, Anchor, Beloplodnye; High-yielding varieties are Yellow-fruited RO, Black handsome, Negritenok, Kuand.

OPEN GROUND AGRICULTURE
Soil preparation
When growing zucchini in open ground For basic soil cultivation, it is recommended to apply 30–50 t/ha of organic fertilizers (preferably manure), 300 kg/ha of superphosphate and 200 kg/ha of potassium chloride; the remaining fertilizers are applied with fertilizing.

When to sow
In the middle zone, sowing with dry seeds is carried out from May 20 to June 5, depending on weather conditions and the readiness of the site. In other regions, they are sown in such a way that seedlings appear after the threat of return frosts has completely passed.

Sowing
Sowing seeds of bush varieties is carried out according to the scheme 70x70 cm or 90x70 cm. Long-climbing varieties are best grown with larger area nutrition, sowing them according to the 140x70 cm pattern. Other patterns are possible; when choosing them, you need to take into account the available equipment for inter-row cultivation. If seeds with high laboratory germination are used and weather conditions are favorable for germination (soil temperature 18ºC or higher, sufficient moisture), then you can sow 1 seed per hole. If the weather is cold or there is no confidence in the high germination of seeds, it is better to sow 2 seeds per hole, followed by thinning. On average, 4–5 kg of seeds are sown per 1 hectare. Planting depth on light soils is 5–8 cm, on heavy soils 4–5 cm.

In the southern regions, you can get 2 harvests of zucchini from open ground. In addition to spring sowing, summer sowing is also carried out in areas cleared of early vegetable crops (potatoes, white cabbage and cauliflower).

Plant care
If, due to cold weather, there are no shoots for a long time, then pre-emergence harrowing with mesh harrows is used to destroy weed seedlings and destroy the soil crust.

Caring for zucchini after germination is simple. After 1–2 true leaves appear, thinning is carried out, and weak and underdeveloped plants are removed (excess plants should be removed not by pulling them out, but by pinching them, which will prevent damage to the remaining ones). Depending on the variety and region of cultivation, the density of zucchini plants should be 20–35 thousand pcs./ha.

Before the rows are closed, 2–4 interrow treatments (cultivations) are carried out mechanically or manually. It is best to plan to carry them out after watering or heavy rains (after the top layer of soil has dried out).
Watering and fertilizing

In dry weather, watering is necessary, since a lack of moisture retards both the development of young plants and the filling of fruits.

Along with watering, 2–3 fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out per season. If the seedlings develop slowly, then 1 fertilizing can be done only with nitrogen fertilizers. At good development Plants 1 are fertilized before flowering using complex fertilizers, and 2 and, if necessary, 3 - phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Dry fertilizers are applied before watering the area; When using drip irrigation, fertilizing is combined with watering. Feeding with a mixture of microelements will help increase productivity and resistance to adverse conditions.

Protection from diseases
The harvest from open ground in the middle zone comes from July until frost. In years with rainy, cool weather, plants are often severely affected by powdery mildew from the 2nd half of August to the beginning of September. Treatment must be carried out at the first signs of the disease. For this purpose, fungicides with a short waiting period are selected.

AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY IN PROTECTED SOIL
Zucchini fruits are in greatest demand in spring and early summer, so growing early products is most profitable.

As a rule, early products are grown under film covers and in film greenhouses. You can also speed up the supply of products by growing zucchini in open ground, not by sowing seeds, but by planting seedlings, as well as by mulching the soil.

Mulching the soil
This method is the simplest, accessible not only to professionals, but also to amateurs. After sowing, the soil is covered with film. When shoots appear, the film around the plants is cut out, and then watering and fertilizing are carried out in the formed holes.
Thanks to mulching, seeds germinate and develop faster, root system develops in well-warmed soil, which ensures harvest 7–10 days earlier compared to the conventional method.

Film shelters
The agricultural technology of zucchini under film covers is similar to the agricultural technology of cucumber. Seedlings at the age of 25–30 days (they are grown in pots with a diameter of at least 10 cm) are planted under a heated film shelter with a distance between plants of 70–80 cm. The shelter is installed about a week before planting the seedlings. They are planted at the same time as cucumber seedlings (in the middle zone around mid-May). With more early stages(beginning of May) must be provided additional insulation shelters in case of return frosts.

IN sunny weather the shelters are ventilated, and when stable warm weather sets in, they are removed. It is important to do this before the plants begin to flower to ensure insect access and pollination of the flowers.

IN further care care for plants is the same as when growing in open ground. Using this method The first zucchini fruits in the middle zone can be obtained at the end of June.

Film greenhouses
The earliest production can be obtained by growing zucchini in film greenhouses. However, it must be remembered that, unlike cucumbers, zucchini must be intensively ventilated, since at high humidity the fruits do not set or the ovaries rot.

The timing of planting seedlings depends on the method of heating the film greenhouse. In greenhouses with technical air heating (heat generators, stoves) in the middle zone, seedlings can be planted on April 20-25, in greenhouses with solar heating - on May 5-15. The scheme for planting seedlings depends on the size of the greenhouse and can be approximately as follows: 100–120x50–80 cm. Soil preparation is carried out in the same way as for cucumber crops.

In greenhouses, the temperature is maintained at 23...27ºС during the day and 15...20ºС at night, air humidity is 60–70%. Care consists of watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening until the leaves close. Watering is carried out once a week, 2 times a month they are combined with fertilizing. If the plants are very dense, you can remove a few leaves from them to improve lighting and ventilation.

HARVESTING
The most important moment when growing zucchini is harvesting. Zucchini fruits grow quickly and are ready for harvest within 6–10 days after flowering. If they are not removed in time, they outgrow, losing their commercial qualities, market price of such fruits drops sharply. Therefore, during mass fruiting, harvesting is carried out 2-3 times a week.
All ugly and overgrown fruits must also be harvested: remaining on the plants, they interfere with the growth of young ovaries, reducing productivity. During harvesting, it is advisable to immediately place the zucchini in shipping boxes, since their skin is delicate and easily damaged. The collected fruits can be stored for about a week at low positive temperatures.

V.A. Vasilevsky,
Candidate of Agricultural Sciences

“Evening” continues the “Farming Academy” section. This time we will talk about the production of zucchini - a crop that grows well in our area not only indoors, but also in open ground.

It's November, and the hottest days for agricultural producers are behind us. This is what the city dweller thinks and... is deeply mistaken. Yes, the harvest has been harvested. But there is an equally important task ahead after harvesting: selling the products on time. Especially when it comes to perishable vegetables.

Promising product

Every summer resident, and indeed any person who has at least once visited vegetable gardens in central Russia, knows: zucchini is one of the most unpretentious crops. Compared to capricious tomatoes, heat-loving peppers and cucumbers, zucchini behave peacefully. They grow slowly, requiring only minimal care.

And for the preparation of canned food they are used no less often than other vegetables; recipes delicious preparations There's no shortage of zucchini. Not to mention the dish in which this culture dominates, squash caviar.

Zucchini is grown not only in gardens, but also in industrial scale, for the needs of canneries. We learned how to set up a business for growing zucchini from Mikhail Novichkov, the head of a farm in the Ryazhsky district.

Mikhail Viktorovich is only 29 years old. He has been involved in zucchini since his student days. While still a senior student at the Faculty of Law of the Russian State University. S. Yesenin, he understood that in the future he needed to look for a career niche that was freer than jurisprudence...

And in the end I decided. Together with a friend, I rented 5 hectares of collective farm land, found equipment through friends, and set to work during the holidays.

Why zucchini? The reason is quite simple: next door to Mikhail’s parental home there is the Ryazhsky Cellar plant. It's theirs squash caviar every Ryazan resident knows. The novice farmer was counting on the stability of this enterprise, because a constant market for a vegetable grower is necessary.

True, over time it became clear that one cannot even rely on, as it seemed before, stable production... But first things first.

Counting expenses

Now Mikhail already has 60 hectares of land. The farmer rents most of the land; he bought a smaller part of the land a few years ago.

In principle, it is easier for a beginning agricultural producer to rent land - what if things don’t work out? So we at our “Farming Academy” will focus on this option and take into account that the cost of renting land in the Ryazhsky district is about 8,700 rubles per year for 50 hectares.

Next to farmland, you need to acquire equipment, and here the costs will be the most impressive. To cultivate a plot of 60 hectares you will need two tractors plus the necessary attachments. At present, the Belarus tractor alone costs 1.2 million rubles.

Our hero was lucky: two years ago, a farmer from the Ryazhsky district received a grant of 1.5 million rubles and with this money (at prices two years ago) he was able to immediately purchase a tractor, loader and plow.

Fuel costs are also quite high. Tillage begins in the fall, at which time the land needs to be plowed. In spring, the area is harrowed and cultivated (leveled). Taking into account summer harrowing work, 250 thousand rubles will be spent on diesel fuel for the entire season (when processing 60 hectares).

Of all the varieties, Mikhail chose the Gribovsky variety of zucchini - one of the most common and popular. Seeds cost 600 rubles per kilo; for 1 hectare you need about 3.5 kilograms. Thus, Novichkov needs 126 thousand rubles to purchase seeds for his plot.

The next expense item is fertilizers. This year, both Mikhail Novichkov, and throughout the Ryazan region, and throughout the country as a whole, vegetables will be extremely clean... The fact is that prices for fertilizers after the fall of the ruble increased so much that farmers either sharply reduced their use, or give up chemistry altogether. But everyone wants a good harvest... So whether sooner or later, we will have to return to these expenses.

Zucchini requires only one herbicide treatment per season: to prevent weeds, the area is sprayed a couple of days after sowing. For 60 hectares at current prices it will cost 60 thousand rubles.

In addition, treatment with saltpeter is also needed to saturate the soil with nitrogen. And here it will be necessary to allocate 200 thousand from the enterprise budget. For a sprayer – another 80 thousand rubles.

A hard-to-predict expense item when growing zucchini is the cost of workers.

“It’s very difficult to find people for seasonal work,” explains Mikhail Viktorovich. – For example, this year I was unable to find workers to hill the zucchini. I was ready to pay, but no one wanted to work... Of course, the yield fell because of this.

People still showed up to clean up. As for expenses, according to the farmer, 1 ruble per kilogram of collected vegetables is considered a good payment. With a yield of 300 c/ha, we get 1,800 tons of zucchini, that is, 1.8 million rubles for harvesting.

Now let’s add up all the above expenses - from land rent to employee salaries. The total will be more than 5 million rubles, and this does not even take into account the work of two tractor drivers.

Benefits with caveats

Now let's calculate the potential profit. Mikhail Novichkov sells zucchini to the Ryazhsky Cellar plant for 3.7 rubles per kilo. The collected 1.8 thousand tons is 6.66 million rubles. Considering that more than five million were spent, the benefits are obvious. If not for two “buts”.

Firstly, the costs in practice can be much higher. Offhand, we did not take into account taxes and operating costs for equipment maintenance. Secondly, when Mikhail will receive money for the products, he himself does not know for sure.

– I can’t pay my employees! The zucchini has been shipped, but the plant has not paid the money in full, there are still 4.5 million left,” laments the Ryazhsk farmer. - IN best case scenario, they will be able to pay me no earlier than March. This, by the way, was the case in previous years.

While Mikhail is waiting for payment for the shipped goods, he is forced to pay interest on the loan he took out earlier, although he could have fully paid off the bank this fall.

At the same time, in theory, our farmer had the opportunity to earn more...

– If you start harvesting at the end of July, then new zucchini will grow in August. So, it will be possible to harvest two crops per season,” says Mikhail Novichkov. - Of course, there will be a second harvest less than the first. But in total, the average yield will no longer be 300, but 400 centners per hectare!

According to the most approximate estimates, it turns out that by harvesting only one crop, the farmer receives less than two million rubles in profit. And he would collect two without hesitation! But for some reason, traditionally in August, the factory either has no cans for canning, or lids, or runs out of vegetable oil... And they don’t accept zucchini until September.

How to protect yourself from such troubles? Ideally, look for other buyers. True, then in the case of Novichkov’s farm, transportation costs will also be added to other costly items. There are many factories processing zucchini in neighboring regions. And the money they pay for the products is quite reasonable. But delivery of goods to another region “eats” about 1.5 rubles per kilogram...

In any case, growing zucchini is a promising activity. We love this vegetable. But for a novice farmer, it would probably be better to either find several options for sales, or, in parallel with zucchini, cultivate other vegetables. It will be more reliable this way.

HELP "VR" According to calculations by economists from the regional Ministry of Agriculture, 15-17 million rubles will be required in the first year to organize an open-ground vegetable farm with a nominal area of ​​50 hectares. investment - with a minimum set of equipment. Annual operating costs will amount to 5-6 million rubles per year. The investment will pay off in the third year. Most of costs will be incurred to purchase planting material, fuels and lubricants, fertilizers and plant protection products.

“Without difficulty and without charging, I laid my heavy barrel on our garden bed - a strong, ripe zucchini.”

As you already understand, this article will talk about growing zucchini. This is perhaps one of the easiest vegetable crops to care for.

Even novice summer residents with growing zucchini there will be no problems and it is almost impossible to be left without a zucchini harvest.

Where did this vegetable come from and why is it so attractive to us?

A long time ago there was a small fishing village.

When all the men of the village went to sea for a long fishing trip, their women turned to To higher powers with prayer.

They asked to give them a certain magical fruit, soft like fish meat, with a skin as tough as a turtle shell.

And so that it has the color of the sea surface in a mystical moonlit night. The gods heard them and gave the fishermen a zucchini.

What is zucchini

The robust vegetable is its closest relative. It differs from it in its precociousness and prolific fertility.

Zucchini is an annual, heat-loving plant with powerful leaves, increased vegetative mass and an active and strong root system.

Where did he come to us from?

• His homeland is the American continent. People have been growing zucchini more than 4,000 years ago. In Europe, zucchini appeared only in the 16th century. The plant was originally ornamental. It was valued for its beautiful, bright flowers.

In Russia they learned about it only in the middle of the 18th century, when there was a fashion for everything Italian. Imitating the Italians, our ancestors began to eat squash ovaries (young, week-old greens).

We still eat unripe zucchini (with the appearance of seeds, this vegetable becomes much coarser in taste).

What's good about zucchini?

This cute vegetable is distinguished by its rich chemical composition: great amount It stores vitamins, microelements and mineral salts under a strong peel.

Zucchini is rich in pectins and antioxidants. By the way, this vegetable is also low-calorie (note to women!). Its calorie content is only 270 cal per kilogram.

Zucchini will help you:

• Remove all radionuclides from the body.
• Rejuvenate and lighten the skin slightly.
• Get your metabolism in order.
• Clear the blood of cholesterol.

By the way, it is best to cook zucchini in the oven and microwave (heat treatment destroys its supply of antioxidants).

You can also eat zucchini flowers. They are baked, cooked into rich soups, and added to various salads.

So, we just need to start growing zucchini on our site.

The best varieties for the garden

When choosing seeds for a plot, focus on the origin of the zucchini species. In the domestic market now in equal amount varieties of zucchini produced by domestic and foreign breeders are presented.

◊ Domestic varieties. Ideal for growing in central Russia and the north (where summers are short).

Our zucchini is more delicate in taste and richer in nutritional value. And they store better and longer.

They are very good for canning, cooking and the famous squash caviar.

• The best domestic varieties: White (ripening 35-40 days); White-fruited (ripening 36-44 days); Waterfall (ripening 42 days); Mountain (ripening 38-50 days); Gribovsky 37 (ripening 46-57 days); Pear-shaped (ripening 40-45 days); Delicacy (ripening 55-60 days); Long-fruited (ripening 45-55 days); Green bush (ripening 50-60 days); Karam 9908380 (ripening 41-45 days); Ball (ripening 50-55 days).

◊ Foreign varieties. They are best chosen for growing zucchini in the southern regions. These species have a longer growing season.

Most imported varieties are hybrids. They have a thinner peel and fewer seeds; they stay on the bushes longer without overripening.

• The best imported species: Belogor F1 (ripening 34-57 days); White Bush (ripening 40-45 days); Goldrush (ripening 49 days); Kavili (ripening 40-45 days); Lenutsa (ripening 38-43 days); Nero di Milano (ripening 36-61 days); Sangrum (ripening 40-45 days); Sote (ripening 45-50 days); Tivoli (ripening 100-120 days); Helena (ripening 41-45 days); Embessy (ripening 49-55 days).

◊ What is zucchini. Zucchini is a type of vegetable, but smaller in size. But its flowers and leaves are larger than those of its brother.

Zucchini can be eaten raw; the color of its fruit is dark green (yellow or white in zucchini).

When growing zucchini squash, know that they are more tender (like more heat and moisture, do not tolerate temperature fluctuations). They also have fewer calories.

• The best varieties of zucchini: Aeronaut (ripening 46 days); Genovese (ripening 36-61 days); Yellow-fruited (ripening 43-62 days); Zebra (maturation 38 days); Zolotinka (ripening 50 days); Kuand (ripening 52-61 days); Negro baby (ripening 38-40 days); Jade (ripening 53-58 days); Ronde (ripening 35-40 days); Tintoretto 9551387 (ripening 48-51 days); Tsukkesha (ripening 45-51 days); Black beauty (ripening 40-45 days).

Zucchini planting and care

A strong vegetable will feel very good after radishes, carrots, onions, peas, potatoes, herbs, cabbage, parsley, early vegetables and green manure.

Its bad predecessors are squash, pumpkins, zucchini and cucumbers.

♦ Soil preparation. Zucchini respects light; the more light it receives, the better it develops. The ideal place for it in the garden: southwestern or southern slopes, with protection from the wind.

The soil needs to be fertile, rich in humus and with a neutral acid-base environment. The soil for growing zucchini should be prepared based on the composition of the soil:

• Peat bog. In the fall, loamy or clayey soils are added (2-3 buckets) and a couple of buckets of humus with compost (add 1 tbsp of wood ash and 1 tsp of superphosphate to them). Calculation per 1 sq. m. After adding additives, dig up the beds and water them with liquid fertilizer.
• Clay and loamy soils. In such lands you need to add 2-3 kg of peat (do this before planting zucchini). Also add humus, sawdust and ash, superphosphates.
• Sandstone. This soil needs the addition of turf, sawdust and peat with humus.

If fertilizers were not added when digging in the fall, this can be done immediately before planting.

For one square meter soil, add compost (10-15 kg), superphosphate (50-60 g) and wood ash (1 tbsp. l).

♦ Seed preparation. In order for zucchini seeds to germinate and grow strong and healthy, they must be placed in a diluted solution of mineral fertilizers (sodium or potassium humate) or growth stimulants.

Cover with a damp cloth for a couple of days.

♦ How to plant zucchini seedlings. Zucchini seedlings should be planted in late April-early May for open garden and at the end of February for growing zucchini in greenhouses.

It is better to grow seedlings in pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm. In one container for growing zucchini, you can place 2-3 seeds 1.5 cm into the soil, leaving the strongest ones after germination.

When planting seeds, fill the pot halfway with soil.

• Banding of seedlings. 10-12 days after sowing (at this time the growth of the subcotyledonous stem slows down), add moist soil to the pot, while twisting the stem with a corkscrew so that only the cotyledonous leaves are visible from the ground.

Zucchini seedlings on south-facing windows do not require additional lighting.

Seeds begin to germinate at +12-15°C; for normal growth, seeds need temperature conditions during the day: +21-26° C; at night: +19-21° C.

During the growing period, seedlings need to be fed. 8-10 days after emergence and another 8-10 days after the first feeding.

The best fertilizer is complex, mineral.

Growing zucchini in open ground

The best time to plant under open sky: end of May - beginning of June.

♦ Planting zucchini seedlings. For planting, potted seedlings 25-35 days old are used. This vegetable is a rather voluminous plant; this must be taken into account when planting and growing zucchini.

A distance of 0.9-1 m should be left between plants, and 1-1.5 m between rows.

It is better to plant seedlings on small mounds or beds. Prepare holes in them 8-10 cm deep and plant one vegetable at a time.

• 7-8 days before planting, seedlings need to be hardened off. Lower the daytime temperature to +15-17°C, night temperature to +13-16°C. Ventilate the pots with seedlings more often.

Before planting, add 1.5-2 kg of humus or compost to each hole and water well warm water(1-2 liters per well).

Plant the seedlings in the resulting mush, sprinkling dry soil on all sides.

In order for young zucchini to take root well, cover them with paper caps or cut plastic bottles for the first 7-10 days.

♦ Planting directly, with seeds. In the south and middle zone, zucchini can be sown in open ground immediately with seeds in mid-May.

It is necessary to sow 2-3 seeds under shelters in one hole. After they sprout, leave the strongest ones and remove the rest.

To ensure a longer harvest, sowing can be done several times, taking a week's break.

Caring for zucchini in open ground

	What does zucchini need?	Adviсe
Watering zucchini	Warm water 8-10 liters per sq.m. water once a week	When growing zucchini, it is better to water them not under the stem, but in a ring-shaped groove near the root.
Feeding	First application of fertilizer before flowering	Slurry (1 l) and nitrophoska (20 g) per 10 l of water. Consumption of 1 liter of mixture per plant.
	Second feeding during flowering	Wood ash (30-40 g) and complex fertilizer (20 g) per 10-11 liters of water. Consumption 1 liter per zucchini.
	Third supplement during fruiting period	Nitrophoska (40-50 g) per 10 liters of water. Based on 2 liters per plant.

Growing zucchini in a greenhouse

The best time to plant zucchini in greenhouse conditions is the end of March.

♦ How to grow zucchini seedlings. For planting, seedlings 30-35 days old are used.

The seedlings should already have 2-3 pairs of true leaves.

You need to plant zucchini in a greenhouse according to the following scheme: 1-2 rows in one bed so that there is at least 1 square meter per plant. m area:

1. To grow zucchini, you should dig holes 60-80 cm deep and fill them with warm manure, not reaching the ground level of 10-15 cm.
2. Make holes in the manure to a depth of 15-20 cm with a diameter of 40-50 cm. Fill them with a mixture of soil (5 parts), peat (3 parts) and humus (2 parts). Additionally, add ammonium nitrate (80 g), superphosphate (100 g) and wood ash (400 g) to each well.
3. Plant zucchini seedlings in the holes (water them first with water). Bury the seedlings to the first cotyledon leaves.

After planting the seedlings, provide the zucchini with a temperature of at least +12° C. If necessary, additionally heat the young plants.

Caring for zucchini in greenhouses

	What does zucchini need?	Adviсe
Watering zucchini	Water at room temperature, comfortable temperature	The first 2-3 weeks after planting are rare, but plentiful. Starting in mid-April, water more often. At the same time, ventilate the greenhouse to prevent fungal diseases.
Feeding	Every 10-12 days, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers	Organic: slurry (1-1.5 l), nitrophoska (20 g) per 10 l of water. Mineral: complex fertilizer (20-30 g), wood ash (30-40 g) per 10 l of water. Consumption 1 l mixtures per plant.

When growing zucchini, they should be watered in the evening before sunset.

Never use cold water! This is detrimental to plants.

You can take water from nearby reservoirs or heat it in large containers in the sun. When watering, try not to spray the foliage.

♦ Loosening and weeding. The first loosening should be done after the first shoots appear and at the same time thinning should be carried out.

Leave 1-2 plants in the nest, pinch the tops of the rest to the soil level.

Weeding is carried out with each loosening.

Harvesting

If zucchini is grown in greenhouses, provide for the presence of windows there for the penetration of pollinating insects.

You can also carry out pollination manually: simply transfer pollen from a male flower to the stigma of the female inflorescence.

• When harvesting vegetables, do not allow them to overripe - such overgrowths will inhibit the development of other ovaries.

Ripe zucchini is carefully cut with a sharp knife, including part of the stalk. Zucchini should be collected every 5-7 days.

The last time zucchini can be harvested is at the end of August (at greenhouse conditions) and in September in the open air.

What threatens zucchini?

Powdery mildew

Diseases
Powdery mildew	Fungal disease. White powdery spots appear on the leaves and stems. Diseased shoots and leaves die, then the fruits themselves are affected.	Cause of the disease high humidity air, sudden temperature changes, heavy dew. Cloudy and cold weather contributes to the development of the disease.
Root rot	Affects adult plants and seedlings. First, the tips of the roots begin to die off, they themselves become dark yellow and covered with cracks. The disease leads to the death of the plant.	The development of the disease when growing zucchini is facilitated by too wet soil, watering with chilled water and sudden temperature changes.
Bacteriosis	There is damage to the fetus and ovary. The ovary becomes glassy and begins to rot. As a result, the fruit becomes deformed and brown marks appear on it.	Provokes disease high humidity, watering cold water and illiterate agricultural technology.
Pests
Cutworm caterpillars	Caterpillars pupate in web cocoons. They hide in the ground in the fall and on plants in the summer.	They actively gnaw out ovaries, flowers, and buds. They eat up unripe fruits and cause the death of the squash.
Slugs	Habitat: wet places. There are especially many of them in humid summers. They feed at night.	They eat zucchini fruits and their flowers. Causes great damage to crops.
Spider mite	They live on the underside of leaves, entwining them with cobwebs. They begin their activities in the third decade of June.	They suck the juice out of the plant, causing its death. At first, light dots appear, soon the leaves become marbled and fall off.

♦ Funds from the people. Effective folk recipes pest control when growing zucchini:

• Onion solution. Finely chop onion. Pour a glass of onion mixture with water (10 l), add ground black or red pepper (1 tbsp), wood ash (3 tbsp) and liquid soap(1 tbsp). Spray the plants with the solution every 5-6 days 2-3 times.
• Pepper tincture. Grind the hot capsicum. Dilute its mass (50 g) with warm water (10 l) and add wood ash (3-4 tbsp. l) and liquid soap (1 tbsp. l). Spray every 6-7 days.
• Ash solution. Pour wood ash (2 cups) hot water, add liquid soap (2 tbsp). Let it brew for 1-2 days, strain. Spray zucchini in the evenings in warm weather.

♦ Ready-made drugs. You can also use store-bought medications. Well proven:

• Spark. Dilute the drug tablet with warm water (10 l). Spray plants at the rate of liter per 10 square meters. m.
• Phosbecide. Dilute an ampoule (5 ml) of the substance with water (5 l). Spray the zucchini and cover with film.
• Confido. Dilute the preparation (1 ml) with water (10 l). Spray plants at the rate of a liter of solution per 100 square meters. m.

To combat diseases when growing zucchini, it will be effective to spray them during the growing season with colloidal sulfur 35% (80-100 g per 10 liters of water) and Bordeaux mixture.

After harvesting in greenhouses, disinfect all parts of the shelter with bleach (200 g per 10 liters of water).

To general preventive measures relate competent preparation seeds, agricultural technology, complete destruction of diseased plants and plant debris, careful digging of the soil after harvesting and strict adherence to the recommended conditions for growing zucchini.

Now we have taken a closer look at zucchini and its rules. successful cultivation. I suggest you take another look short video about very in an interesting way growing zucchini.

See you soon, dear readers and have a good harvest!