Surely, everyone has seen zucchini thickets on compost heaps, but did everyone wonder why we need zucchini in the garden? Due to its unpretentiousness, it is popular with many gardeners.

Zucchini is not only a delicious vegetable, but it is a natural doctor, so it is worth not knowing what the power of zucchini is and how to grow it so that this power works for you!

What does a zucchini like? How, when and where to plant it? Which variety should you choose? What is the power of zucchini and what benefits does it bring to the garden? You will find out about this right now ...

Useful properties of zucchini!

Zucchini has the necessary and necessary set of all micro and macro elements to maintain the entire human body in a healthy state. If you care about the health of your heart, liver, brain and all muscle tissues, then eating large quantities of zucchini is a must!

Zucchini has a magical effect on the body. It cleans it so efficiently and painlessly, without causing damage, as no medical procedure can do it. It cleanses the blood, normalizes metabolism, water-salt metabolism in the body!

That is why zucchini is the best dietary product that is easily and completely absorbed by our body! For those who are struggling with overweight or suffering from diabetes, or gastrointestinal diseases, it is simply necessary to eat zucchini! And a variety of zucchini dishes for every taste!

Zucchini reduces the aging process of the body, prevents oncology, thanks to its composition of substances that are natural antioxidants!

Zucchini is a difficult vegetable also because, in addition to taking care of your health, it is able to restore natural beauty! It has a beneficial effect on the color and condition of the skin, and for hair it is generally a magical manifestation - it slows down the processes of gray hair! And those who care about their beauty, not only internal, but also external - always grow zucchini on their site!

After all, zucchini grown by their own hands, on their own land, have all these amazing qualities. In fact, if you list all its advantages, you will end up with a whole huge article just on this topic! But I hope you yourself know a lot about its magical properties for the whole body, that it prevents the appearance of cellulite, which every second woman fights against at a young age!

In general, zucchini is a laudatory ode to which I decided to sing today, a difficult vegetable! That is why it is able to be stored for a long time, right in the room, and at the same time does not lose its useful properties!

So, have you already wanted to experience its magical effect? But for this, you must first grow it!

Secrets of growing healthy zucchini!

First you need to decide on the variety, and here I will tell you a little secret! Now there is a huge selection of zucchini, but preference should be given to the old Soviet varieties. Of the old varieties, I like most of all Gribovsky 37 - this is truly unpretentious, high-yielding, healthy and tasty zucchini! Grows well in any region.

Many people ask the question what is the difference between zucchini and zucchini! Everything is simple here: both species are pumpkin seeds. But they grow much faster than pumpkins! Naturally and taste different from pumpkin, and shape ...

Zucchini are less nutritious, grow faster than zucchini, the fruits are smaller and usually dark green, and zucchini are green, white and yellow. Both in shape and structure of the bush, they are also all different, as well as to taste! But zucchini are more thermophilic (this is an invention of the Italians), and more demanding on moisture.

You can grow zucchini in two ways: seedling and non-seedling! The soil does not tolerate clay and acidic! But, if you set aside the most fertile bed in your garden, and even make this bed warm, and in a sunny place (you can before lunch!), Then there won't be any problems with growing a vegetable marrow! Although it will be - you will get tired of harvesting!

Of course, our grandmothers always threw zucchini seeds onto the compost (manure) heap and they always grew for themselves ... But I assure you, if you try two zucchini of the same variety, but one grown in a warm garden and the other on manure, then here you will feel the difference ... You will discover the real taste of zucchini and understand what the power of warm beds is!

So, the best predecessors for zucchini will of course be green manure! Lupine is just that! After it, the soil just magically becomes nutritious! And zucchini responds very well to such soil!

You can sow zucchini for seedlings at the end of April (after the 20th), but such zucchini - this is the second secret!- not for storage! It's for food and processing!

If you want to grow zucchini for storage in order to maintain your health in winter, then we plant zucchini with seeds in the ground!

If you grow zucchini seedlings, and this is best done not in an apartment, but in a garden, then you need to transplant with a lump of earth, without damaging the roots, when 2 real leaves appear.

We germinate the seeds in a damp cloth, usually 2-4 days, no more. Planting seedlings on warm beds can be started from May 20 approximately, depending on what the weather is. But I usually plant with seeds from late May - early June. Seeds germinate at a temperature of +10 degrees.

We make a hole, if it is a warm bed, then just water and lower the seeds to a depth of 2 cm. If it's an ordinary bed, then we make a deep hole, fill it with compost or vermicompost! And now we put the seeds, you can two at a time, later pinch the weak plant and leave one! We cover for a while (until shoots with 2-3 true leaves) with a covering material, but not with a film!

As soon as shoots appear, immediately mulch the bed with a thick layer! The optimum temperature for good growth and fruiting is +23 - 27 degrees during the day, at night not lower than +18 - 20 degrees. At temperatures below +14, development stops! When it drops below +5 degrees, the plant freezes. Later, the zucchini will grow and they themselves will not allow the weeds to germinate, since they give a lot of shade, and while the zucchini is developing, it does not need weeds!

So, they planted, mulched, the zucchini grows and begins to bloom ... It is important that there is enough moisture, the root system of the zucchini is pivotal, they are able to get moisture themselves from the depths, so that the soil is mulched, then moisture evaporation will not occur and you will not have to water!

But if, nevertheless, your soil is not yet sufficiently healthy, it is not yet fully revitalized and its structure is not yet fully restored, then it is worth watering abundantly at the beginning of flowering and only under the root (not over the leaves) and only with warm (warmed up by the sun) water.

Zucchini are pollinated mainly by bees, wasps and bumblebees. But if they are present on your site ... If the weather is "non-flying", too humid or cold, or vice versa, there is an incredible heat, then you should do the pollination yourself. I remember getting my children involved in this by letting them learn biology lessons in practice.

Indeed, in the classroom, they are told about anything that does not arouse interest at all ... But in practice, when the son himself determines where the male flower is, and where the female one, everything is quite simply understood. He picked a male flower early in the morning and touched all the female flowers with it. And then I watched how literally the next days, fruits are formed and begin to grow! This is interesting for children!

They have so much delight and not preconceived surprise from how living processes occur in nature that we - adults should learn from them their observation and receptivity of the world!

If there are bees, but somehow sluggishly fly ... Then you can help them, spray all the flowers on the vegetables that require pollination with honey water!

Keep your distance when sowing seeds or planting seedlings! Leave a distance of at least 60 cm between zucchini. Since they usually grow in bushes, some varieties are violently climbing, but I like bush ones! Therefore, it is necessary already at planting to imagine what the plant will be in adult form.

Even if you plant zucchini in mixed plantings, what i highly recommend doing, then the distance matters here too. I grow zucchini on the same bed always with corn, beans, peas, beets, and also marigolds, zinnias, and spicy herbs always decorate my beds! Both beautiful and rational!

To prolong fruiting, it is necessary to form zucchini bushes, for this we cut off the old lower leaves, or pinch climbing varieties. It is important for the formation of ovaries to provide access to sunlight as much as possible, therefore, those leaves that shade are also cut off. We do not break it out! And we cut it off.

If you find something useful for yourself in this article, do not hesitate to thank, your gratitude will be of great benefit, which you will feel very soon!

If you need help in the development of the site and in everything related to Natural Agriculture in general, you can get Individual consultation! This will help you avoid mistakes and speed up the land restoration process!

And zucchini can grow in the swamp

The summer of last year in the Kirovsky district of the Leningrad region turned out to be unfavorable for the cultivation of many crops, especially on soils with a close groundwater table.

That summer, on my site, women and children could not pick berries of garden strawberries, because the limp paths between the beds, dry and hard in an ordinary summer, sucked up to the knee, and there was not enough strength to pull out their legs.

Due to waterlogging of the soil, the plants grew only on raised and high beds... Such beds are usually arranged for the convenience of the elderly when caring for plants, for composting large wood residues, construction and household waste. Unfortunately, it is impossible to do without the device of high beds when developing peaty soils with a close standing of groundwater, which is present on my site.

I have a length of 3 m, a width of about 1 m and a height of 50-60 cm. The width of the beds is determined by the convenience in caring for plants and harvesting, the length is determined by the length of the available building material.

This is how I do them. I mark a place on the site for the future garden. On it, if possible, I remove stumps. In the corners I dig in wooden posts, deepening their ends treated with an antiseptic by about half a meter. The direction of the long side of the ridges is west-east. I nail the slabs hewn along the edges (to reduce the gap in the walls of the garden) to the posts. It turns out a rectangular box of slabs. I arrange the northern side of the box 10 cm higher than the southern one. If the slabs are thin, and the side walls bend, then in the middle of the wall for rigidity I drive in a peg from the inside, to which I nail the slabs. At the bottom of the bed between the walls of the box, I put parts of the stumps, large trimmings of tree trunks. The gaps between them are filled with stumps of roots, moss, bark, sawdust, hay, leaves, grass and other available organic material. I trample all this to reduce the voids. It turns out a layer of rough materials about 40 cm thick. I water all this abundantly. On top of the compacted layer I pour 10 buckets of peat and sand, if there is, add 3-4 buckets of semi-rotted compost (the remains after sifting last year's bookmark) and mix the top layer. Then I sprinkle evenly with a thin layer of 1.5 kg of dolomite flour (to neutralize the acidity of the peat) and mix everything with a cultivator. Sprinkle 0.5 l of azophoska evenly on top and mix the top layer with a rake.

After leveling the surface, the soil level on the south side does not reach the top of the wall by 5 cm. On a high bed, I mainly grow pumpkins, zucchini and cucumbers. A radish planted in late summer works well.

I place the seedling holes along the tops of a regular triangle with a side of 60 cm. The size and depth of the hole is determined by the volume of the seedling earthen lump. I put a lump with seedlings in it, deepening it by 2-3 cm, and cover it with soil. I sprinkle 2 tbsp of seedlings around each bush. tablespoons of granulated "Giant" and spread the hay with a layer of 5-7 cm. (I have long been using this technique when planting seedlings of cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini and beans in open ground, it allows you to protect the delicate unhardened leaves of the seedlings from direct sunlight, and also ensures uniform penetration of moisture into the root area when watering). After planting, I water it with 2 liters of water under a bush. I plant seedlings with 2-3 true leaves in early June so that they do not fall under frost. Further care consists in weeding, watering and feeding with a nutrient solution (50 g of azophoska per 10 liters of water) once every two weeks, 2 liters at the root (for hay).

During the summer, beautiful thickets of pumpkin seeds grow on the beds with a good harvest. In August, I start picking zucchini of the Goldrash and Zebra varieties for food. Some of the large ripe zucchini and pumpkins I do not pick until September. After frost, I pull out all the bushes and use them for composting. In 2004, one zucchini bush gave me 12 fruits, each weighing up to 1 kg. And in 2003, 3 pumpkin plants of the Golosemyannaya variety pleased me with fruits weighing 5 kg each, i.e. collected about 60 kg of diet food with healing seeds without a peel. Luxurious bushes with whips up to 5 m long presented an impressive sight. On each lash, I left 1 ovary, and did not pinch the ends of the lashes until mid-August to increase the total area of ​​pumpkin leaves, due to which the ovaries are poured, and to increase the green mass that goes for composting.

On the site I had a pit filled with water and overgrown with moss, up to 3 m in diameter, formed from a mighty pine tree that had long been felled by its roots. She spoiled the view and was dangerous for her granddaughter. I didn't have time to clean this hole and fill it with sand. I showered it with branches, over the branches I sketched stumps, pieces of tree roots, bark, moss, sawdust, peat, sand, etc. It turned out round "high bed" or squash bed, only without side rails. Planting seedlings and caring for zucchini in the "high bed" were the same as in the "high bed". It turned out to be both beautiful and profitable.

AND " , and "high flower bed" in this rainy summer, they became bright, cheerful islands, which gave a good mood and aroused surprise among the neighbors. When growing zucchini and pumpkins in high beds, compost was not widely used due to its shortage: the site was at the initial stage of development, there was still little organic materials (tops, root residues, etc.) for laying in the compost. In addition, I could not bring some organic fertilizers to the garden, because there was no road to the site. And in this case, the use of regular fertilizing with mineral complex fertilizers allows you to accumulate plant material for composting and the transition in the future to organic farming technology.

I am convinced that the device "high beds" in low areas it is a guarantee of obtaining high-quality yields of vegetables and berries, it allows you to collect more high-quality organic materials for the production of compost - the basis of fertility in organic farming. In addition, these beds improve the design of the site.

S. Troitsky, gardener, winner of the competition
Photo by the author.

Zucchini occupies a special place among pumpkin plants. This vegetable is not only distinguished by early maturity, but also has good resistance to cold. However, like other representatives of this family, zucchini makes serious demands on the growing conditions and soil fertility on the site.

Conditions for growing zucchini

Zucchini has a reputation for being easy to grow. Indeed, if you carefully study its "character", it turns out that at least half of the success in cultivating them is the choice of a suitable place for the garden and timely sowing.

The culture is placed in the sunniest and warmest place in the garden. Keep in mind that a lack of sunlight causes a decrease in yield by a factor of 10 or more. In this case, mainly male flowers are formed on the plants - the so-called "barren flowers", and the pollen in them is often sterile.

They do not tolerate zucchini and shading itself. The distance between plants should be at least 70-80 centimeters, and in adult bushes, about a third of the leaves, old and sick, are removed.

In a cloudy summer and in thickened plantings, the taste of the fruit suffers, since they accumulate low-nutrient substances and sugars.

Despite its hardening, zucchini still belongs to the category of heat-loving crops. Seeds germinate quickly at a soil temperature of + 15 ... 18 degrees. Moreover, even an insignificant decrease to +12 degrees sharply suppresses the growth processes in the seeds. The vegetable feels most comfortable at + 20 ... 23 degrees.

It happens that in the spring temperature indicators are kept at the level of + 10 ... 15 degrees for one and a half to two weeks. Then the uncovered zucchini bushes stop developing, and after the normalization of the temperature background, they leave stress for a long time.

Heat plays an important role during the flowering and fruiting period of the squash. At this time, the full formation of ovaries is prevented by cold nights, when the temperature drops below + 10 ... 12 degrees. Then the plants must be covered at night.

Preparing the soil for squash

Zucchini are planted on a warm garden bed 1.5-2 weeks earlier than usual.

Zucchini are also demanding on soil fertility. A particularly good harvest is obtained on sandy loam and light loams. But only on condition of using mineral fertilizers!

But the heavy, waterlogged land is not at all suitable for growing zucchini. They grow best on neutral soils and cannot stand fresh liming.

With a generous filling of the soil with organic matter, feeding zucchini is required only during the period of flowering and fruit setting

Ash, in addition to its nutritional properties, also has the ability to neutralize excess acidity. This is great news for zucchini, as they don't like fresh liming.

In the spring, the soil is first loosened with a rake in order to retain moisture, and before it is dug to a depth of 15-21 centimeters with a simultaneous introduction of 15-20 g / sq.m. ammonium sulfate. Magnesium is also added to light sandy soils.

All types of cabbage, onions, tomatoes, root vegetables and legumes are good predecessors for squash.

I advise you to return to its original place no earlier than after 5 years. It is not necessary to set aside a plot for zucchini where any crops of the pumpkin family grew last year - cucumbers, pumpkins,.

How to plant zucchini in a warm garden bed filled with fresh manure, see the video.

In order to replenish the consumed substances in the soil and maintain its fertility, it is important to improve the chemical composition by applying fertilizers. Autumn is a great time to prepare for the next season.

Garden plants accept organic and mineral components well. Their balanced application maintains ideal conditions for complex nutrition of crops.

Since the funds are applied not for the purpose of fertilizing the soil, but of plants, the autumn dressing will enrich the harvest of the next year. Since the nutrients added to the soil are part of the organo-mineral complex, the plants will live during the entire growth period due to their slow decay and the release of nutrients.

When choosing fertilizers, it is necessary to take into account the biological characteristics of the crops grown, soil properties and weather conditions. After fertilization, you need to monitor the reaction of the plants., as well as the efficiency of the joint introduction of several different components. Each crop requires its own diet for optimal growth.

Garden plants accept organic and mineral components well

Rules for preparing the beds in the fall for winter

Proper autumn tillage will make spring work easier. Before planting the beds, it will only be enough to loosen them slightly. The main activities include:

• cleaning ridges from weeds and tops;
• saturation with nutrients.

In order to improve the structure of the soil, it is necessary to introduce organic and complex mineral fertilizers with the addition of phosphorus and potassium.

It is recommended to supplement heavy clay soils with sand, ash, compost and deciduous humus, which will allow them to loosen and increase water permeability. Sandy soils, on the other hand, need to be helped to retain moisture with rotted compost, leaf humus and sawdust. Sour soil should be neutralized by adding chalk and lime.

How to prepare a warm bed for winter (video)

Fertilizers must be applied for digging. Organic matter or minerals should be scattered over the beds, and then dug to a depth of 15-20 cm.

Digging the beds is done by 2 methods:

1. Dumpless... The excavated clods of soil are not broken, which contributes to the preservation of the natural microflora.
2. Dump... The dug up clods are turned over. As a result, weed seeds end up at great depths, and pest larvae on the surface, so they die in winter.

With any digging method, it is important not to break up clods so that the ground does not freeze too much. With the onset of the spring thaw, the pieces of soil will disintegrate under the influence of moisture.

With any digging method, it is important not to break up clods so that the ground does not freeze too much.

What fertilizers need to be applied in the fall

Mineral fertilizers are produced from inorganic substances extracted from the ground or obtained by chemical means. From the elements that occupy the main part of the fertilizer composition, they are divided into the following groups:

• nitrogen;
• potash;
• phosphoric.

They may include various macro- and microelements useful for the development of home crops.

How to fertilize beet beds

The crop prefers sufficiently lit areas with light and draining soil. A rich harvest can be obtained by growing tubers on sandy loam and loamy soil with neutral acidity. Heavy and clayey soil is not suitable for beets, even if top dressing is applied. Wetlands and areas with high acidity should also be avoided.

In the autumn period, organic matter such as compost and humus should be used (for 1 square meter, half a bucket of fertilizers). Mineral additives include potassium chloride (10-15 g / m²) and ammonium nitrate and superphosphate (20-30 g / m²).

When preparing beds for beets, experts do not recommend using fresh manure, since the tubers will absorb nitrates.

In the autumn period, organic matter such as compost and humus should be used for beet beds.

Top dressing for zucchini and pumpkin

Zucchini and pumpkin are unpretentious, but sensitive plants, responding well to fertilizers contained in the soil. Since crops, like a pump, suck in all the necessary elements from the soil, the issue of soil preparation must be approached with caution.

With the onset of the autumn period, preparatory work should begin. After applying the manure, it is necessary to dig up the ground. The pumpkin family prefers neutral soils therefore it is recommended to add lime if necessary.

To improve the structure of clay soil, loam and sandy loam, humus and river sand must be added. As a mineral fertilizer, you can take superphosphate (1 tablespoon) and ash (3 tablespoons) per sq. m of land.

Since sandy soils are infertile and very easy to grow squash and squash, their composition should be balanced. To do this, fertilize with peat and humus.

Fertilizers for beds in the fall (video)

With dill and other herbs

Taking into account the peculiarities of the green seasoning, you can get an excellent harvest:

• greens perceive heat and sunlight well;
• prefers a fertile and sufficiently moist substrate;
• grows poorly on acidic soils.

If you plan to plant the green seasoning in spring, then you need to prepare the soil in the fall. The beds need to be dug to a depth of 20-25 cm, organic matter and mineral fertilizers must be added. After winter, loosen, make grooves, water and compact so that the seeds do not go deep. To retain moisture, the site must be mulched with humus, but not watered, otherwise the dense crust will create difficulty in germination.

Under dill and other greens, the beds need to be dug to a depth of 20-25 cm, organic matter and mineral fertilizers

What fertilizers should be applied under tomatoes

Acidic soil must be limed. Fertilizers should be scattered over the surface of the earth, choosing a dose per 1 sq. meter depending on the acidity level:

• for sandy loam soil and loam, 200-400 g will be required;
• medium and heavy loams require 300-600 g.

For the convenience of caring for tomato bushes, it is not recommended to make beds too high. Enough 20-25 cm in height and no more than a meter in width.

Fertilizers for cucumbers

The texture of the soil for cucumbers should be light loamy and sandy loam. If the soil is heavy clay, sand should be added (1 - 2 buckets per 1 sq. M). A good harvest is possible only on slightly acidic soil or close to neutral.

The plots on which it is planned to sow cucumbers in spring should be dug up in the fall and manure must be added at the same time, if the soil is loamy. If acidic, add lime.

If the soil is acidic, then lime must be added

Features of making top dressing in warm beds before winter

Thanks to the organic filling, which decomposes, provides the earth with warmth and nutrients, warm beds are popular among summer residents. If you want to create a high bed, it is necessary to build a box in which the layers are stacked:

1. Drainage from large debris (branches, boards, hemp, tops). You can add sand.
2. Sawdust, chips, weeds, cleaning and other smaller and coarse organic matter.
3. Foliage, humus, ash (if necessary).
4. The top layer consists of fertile garden soil.

It is important to use the tops of only healthy plants as a filler, and the weeds should be seedless. Do not cover with foil on top.

What fertilizers to apply to the soil in autumn (video)

Mulching the beds in the fall after feeding

Mulching is called covering the soil with special materials that do not transmit light and retain moisture. Rotting natural mulch does not harm the environment.

Growing zucchini in the open field is a very exciting activity, and at the same time, you can create a clump of plants not only in the garden bed, but also in the recreation area. Don't believe me? And look for yourself - their large carved foliage is so pleasant that it can easily compete with Rogers or Buzulnik in picturesqueness. And how funny it is to look at the guests who simply squeal with pleasure when they see the fruits under the leaves “alive”. Indeed, many townspeople have a strong impression that zucchini grow in supermarket windows, and not in the open field ...

Growing zucchini in the open field: the nuances of agricultural technology

Growing options are not so few, we have selected 8 ways to plant zucchini in the open field. Each of them has nuances, so let's go over the cultivation technology in detail:

1st method: growing zucchini in barrels, tubs or in tire beds

For growing zucchini, any barrels or tubs are suitable, in which holes are made in the bottom or on the sides to drain excess moisture. All the previous summer, organic matter was injected in them, interspersed with a layer of earth. As it dries, all accumulated plant residues are spilled with a compost solution or EMC. The top layer of earth is poured about 10 cm.

In the spring, zucchini seeds are planted after warming up the substrate, spilling it with warm (about 40 degrees) water. Invasions of slugs with such a high planting certainly do not need to be afraid, therefore, cover it with a fairly simple film or lutrasil before germination.

Zucchini seeds are planted around the circumference of an impromptu garden bed, and a 5-liter eggplant is placed upside down in the center. In the cork and on the sides, the eggplants are pierced with a hot nail with a hot nail, and the bottom is cut off. Such a simple design will perfectly distribute irrigation water throughout the barrel. It is better to water with settled water in the evening. You just fill the sprinkler bucket with water and walk away. For open ground, this is a very convenient way, right?

2nd method: growing zucchini in bags or sacks

Growing zucchini in this clever way is very beneficial in terms of area and nutrients. Organic residues in the previous season are accumulated in sugar bags or bags. They can be placed away from eyes, in the area of ​​the utility block. But the accumulated organic matter must be regularly spilled with solutions of fermented compost or EMC. And make, of course, the bottom holes for the outflow of excess water.

The next year, the bags are installed in a sunny place, resting them on a fence, wall of a house or a barn. Earth is poured into the top layer, and 2 zucchini seeds are planted. For watering, a hollow tube with holes along the entire height is inserted into the bags. For convenience, you can make a funnel from a cut plastic bottle on top. Watering is usually carried out with settled water from a watering can without a divider. In the fall, all the giblets of the bag can be scattered over the beds or in the berry.

3rd method: growing zucchini in boxes or boxes

A very proven method of growing zucchini outdoors is the so-called mobile beds. The box or box is installed in a sunny place, and plant residues accumulate in it throughout the previous season. The layers are interspersed with earth, spilled with EMok solutions or fermented compost. To reduce moisture evaporation, the box is covered with foil or cardboard.

For the convenience of watering, 1-2 eggplants with holes for irrigation are installed in the center of the box. The number of eggplants is selected individually, depending on the length of the box. After growing zucchini, the sides of the box can be moved to a new place and build the next "walking" compost, or lower the height of the sides, and continue the life of a naturally obtained high bed, planting crops changeable according to crop rotation on it - tomatoes, eggplants, root crops, etc. A smart way to increase soil fertility in the beds, right? The sides can be transferred to a new area during the growth of the zucchini.

4th method: growing zucchini on unripe compost

This method of growing zucchini in the open field involves the accumulation of organic residues not at the site of cultivation of zucchini, but somewhere in the backyard: in a compost pit or compost bin. But they do not wait for the complete fermentation of organic matter, and in the spring they transport it to the vegetable garden.

A layer of unripe compost in the garden bed is made 10-15 cm high, and the holes for planting zucchini are tamped very tightly. Then, half a bucket of warm water is poured into each well, and so left overnight. In the morning, watering is repeated, and the zucchini are planted under plastic bottles with an open neck (so that the seedlings do not suffocate).

The entire bed, except for the holes, is immediately mulched tightly with any organic matter. For watering, you can use eggplants, or mount drip irrigation from a barrel.

Method 5: growing zucchini under black film

This method is great for those gardeners who have drip irrigation (in the south). Well, for those who have a rather humid region, and there is enough rainfall during the season so as not to run with a watering can (for example, North-West). In the fall, a lot of volunteers, weeds, shavings and other organic matter are piled onto the garden bed for future zucchini. This whole pile is sprinkled with dolomite or ground eggshell, and spilled with a solution Fitosporin-M, and for the winter it is covered with foil.

It is strictly necessary to lay the film on such a pile, otherwise all the weeds laid on the garden bed will germinate. In the spring, cuts are made in the film crosswise, and a whole bucket of warm water (about 40 degrees) is poured into each future hole. Then the squash is planted. No dressing, weeding and watering with this method is done in the Northwest. In our south, this method is also effective, but taking into account drip irrigation and when adding straw to the surface to reduce the heating of the film. And if you use a black non-woven fabric, then you can water directly over the material - it allows water to pass through, and prevents evaporation.

6th method: growing zucchini under cardboard on compost

Planting zucchini under cardboard is practically no different from the method of growing under film, only cardboard is lined on unripe compost. In practice, this method is a combination of the above methods 4 and 5. As a result, such zucchini are watered less than usual, and there is no need to fertilize them at all. The fruits do not get dirty or overheated. On the black film, there is still a small probability of overheating of the zucchini - leaves can accidentally break, which usually confidently protect the fruits with their shadow.

The compost heap is formed in the previous season: either in the backyard, or right in the garden bed. Form a garden bed in the fall. Before winter, cardboard is lined on the surface of the compost, and pressed down with beams, stones. In the spring, before planting, cuts are made in the cardboard in the same way as in the film, and zucchini are planted. Those who do not have drip irrigation will have to water such plantings manually, or agree in advance with the heavenly office about the regularity of precipitation.

7th method: growing zucchini in beds in replaceable buckets

A fantastically convenient way for gardeners with peatland plots. Zucchini do not tolerate an acidic environment at all, so special conditions must be made for them. In the garden bed, soil is removed along the height of a 10-liter bucket, and an old bucket with a leaky bottom is installed in the middle of the pit. In a bucket, a soil mixture is prepared from 2 kg of compost or humus, 25 g of wood ash, 2/3 of a bucket of clay, 1 glass of sand or ground eggshell. After installing the bucket, the soil around it is leveled to the level of the garden.

It is better to prepare the mixture in a bucket in the fall, and if possible, lower it into the underground so that the microorganisms overwinter. During the winter, the soil prepared in a bucket will be compacted just for better seed germination. Either seedlings or seeds are planted in a bucket - it makes no difference, the soil in the bucket is warm (if it has wintered in the basement). And when the ovaries appear, bricks are placed under them - they will give additional heat.

At the end of the season, the bucket is taken out and the contents are dumped under the berries - currants, blackberries, raspberries. For the winter, it is better to install a hollow bucket there so that the edges of the hole do not float. The next spring, the old bucket with the new mixture is inserted in its place. And so every year. The garden bed will be used constantly, so it must be installed in the most open place, and better - at the southern side of the house. For an ordinary family of 4-5 people, 3 zucchini bushes are enough, that is, 3 such replaceable buckets. The distance between the buckets is at least 1 meter.

8th method: growing zucchini in the beds in the garden

This is the most common, one might even say "traditional" way of growing marrow in the open field in the practice of natural farming. Of course, without mineral fertilizers and pesticides. It is used as part of a crop rotation, often growing zucchini after 3-4 years of operation of the garden (replacing potatoes, eggplants, carrots, strawberries). In the autumn, before planting zucchini, the garden bed is abundantly covered with organic matter directly on top of the grown siderates. The pile is pumped high - 20-40 cm, dumping apple cake, carrion, autumn foliage, cut grass there. Then spill a bunch of EMs or a solution of mature compost.

Additionally, you can cover the entire embankment on top with a black non-woven or cardboard so that weeds do not germinate. Such a shelter will extend the period of activity of soil microorganisms, and worms with insulation "work" longer.

Planting zucchini in a garden bed can be carried out with dry seeds and through seedlings. In both cases, the mulch that has settled over the winter is pushed apart, and the zucchini are planted. Seeds are planted to a depth of 1-2 cm, placing the seed on the edge. To protect delicate seedlings from the invasion of slugs, the planting site is closed with a cut plastic bottle. The bottle must be pressed hard into the soil so that shellfish do not dive under its edges.

Seedlings of zucchini are driven out only before the appearance of a couple of true leaves, during this period they are no longer "interesting" for slugs. But when planting, in no case do they disturb the roots. Better to grow them in large peat tablets or cups. You can make do-it-yourself paper seed cups and plant them whole in the ground without removing the wrapper.

Here is such an interesting selection of ways to grow zucchini without the use of chemicals. It remains only to remind that zucchini do not like an acidic environment, so take into account the acidity of the soil when planting. And wait for stable weather - these sissies cannot withstand frost at all. What other way do you know? Tell us about growing zucchini in the open field from your experience, please.