How to manage zucchini during the fruiting period? A detailed explanation of the latest management techniques

Zucchini is a common vegetable grown in both northern and southern China, with a long history of cultivation, and the fruiting period of zucchini is the most important stage of its growth. How should it be managed during this period? Follow along with the editor below to learn the management techniques for the zucchini fruiting period.

1. Leaf removal

As the plant continues to grow, the number of leaves increases, which can easily lead to a closed canopy in the field with poor air circulation and light penetration, making it highly susceptible to pathogen infection and causing severe outbreaks of damage. Therefore, leaves should be removed rationally, and leaf removal should be based on the plant's growth vigor. Vigorous plants can have more leaves removed, while weaker plants should have fewer removed, with the goal of maintaining good air circulation and light penetration in the field. To avoid wounds on the stems being difficult to heal, it is recommended to remove leaves rather than snap them off, because the petioles are thick and brittle; they can be cut at the base. Cutting at the stem creates large wounds that do not heal easily. Leaves can be removed entirely or mostly, which encourages the petioles to dry up and drop off more quickly. In addition, after leaf removal, it is best to choose consecutive sunny days to help the wounds heal. After leaf removal, streptomycin can be sprayed to prevent pathogen infection.

2. Fruit thinning

For zucchini, the most suitable time for fruit thinning is one day before flowering or on the morning of the day of flowering. Zucchini grown in greenhouses under conditions of short-day length and low night temperatures favors female flower formation, and female flowers generally appear once the plant has grown to 3 to 4 true leaves. However, if too many female flowers are allowed to grow and develop, they will consume a large amount of nutrients, affecting normal plant growth and fruit development, causing a large number of fruits to drop and seriously reducing normal yield. Therefore, they should be thinned in a timely manner to reduce nutrient competition and promote fruit set. The number of female flowers to thin depends on the vigor of the vines. For weak plants, the root fruit should be thinned first, leaving one female flower every three nodes; for robust plants, the root fruit can be kept, but it should be harvested early, and thereafter about one female flower should be left every two nodes.

3. Vine lowering

In the later stage of zucchini fruiting, the plants are tall, some even exceeding 2 m, which brings great inconvenience to harvesting and spraying. Therefore, the vines should be lowered at the appropriate time. The stems and vines that are lowered to the ground can be covered with soil to promote the growth of new adventitious roots, improve the root system's ability to absorb fertilizer and water, delay plant senescence, and increase later-stage yield.

The above is an introduction to management techniques for the zucchini fruiting period. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.