How to grow Zucchini Blackjack

How to grow

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Background

Zucchini belongs to the cucurbit family which is native to the Americas. Zucchini’s distant relatives have been traced traced to Mexico between 7000-5500BC, where they were commonly grown with beans and corn as part of the “three sisters” planting guild.

It is believed that the journeys of Christoper Columbus brought the “squash”back to Europe. The word squash having it’s origins in aNative American word meaning ‘green thing eaten raw.’

The reception was mixed back in Europe, with the French turning their noses up to the fruit, believing it too bland. It was the Italians that truly embraced the humble squash, finding that when the fruit was picked when less mature, the taste was sweet and flavorful. Selective breeding led to the emergence of the zucchini!

The word zucchini is Italian and comes from the word zucca which means squash, with zucchini being the diminutive meaning little squash.

Health Benefits

Homegrown, organic zucchinis are good for you!

Zuccchinis are an excellent source of Vitamins (A and C) and mineral (Potassium). Consuming zucchinis can help support healthy blood pressure, immune function and healthy vision

Growing Tips and Tricks

Location:

Zucchini like full sun and well-drained soil. They can be grown in the garden, in containers, or in a greenhouse. If you are growing zucchini in the ground, choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun per day. The soil should be rich in organic matter and well-drained.

Watering:

Zucchini need to be watered regularly, but be careful not to overwater. The soil should be moist, but not soggy.

Problems:

Pests: Zucchini are susceptible to a few pests like aphids and squash bugs. Keep pests at bay by making sure that they are properly watered, fed and healthy!

Diseases: Zucchini are also susceptible to fungal diseases like powdery mildew and downy mildew. These can be prevented by avoiding overhead watering and making sure that there is plenty of air circulation around your plants

Harvest:

Zucchini are ready to harvest when they are about 15 cm long. To harvest, simply cut the zucchini off the stem using a knife or a pair of sharp scissors

Patch to plate

Zucchinis are one of the most generous producers in the garden, so having a few culinary tricks up your sleeve means that when the tsunami of delicious zucchinis starts flowing out of your patch, you’ll be well prepared to make the most of them. Here’s a couple of ideas of what you can do with your zucchinis in the kitchen…

• Cut into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler and served with feta, herbs and pumpkin seeds as a fresh and simple summer salad
• Turned into fritters and served up with natural yoghurt and greens from the garden
• Pickled and jarred up ready to give to friends and family as a tasty gift.