How to Grow Zucchini for High Yields? Latest High-Yield Cultivation Technique Tutorial
Zucchini, also known as eggplant melon, is grown in both northern and southern regions of China. It is a variant of pumpkin, similar in appearance to cucumber, with relatively high nutritional value, and has the effects of clearing heat, quenching thirst, reducing swelling and dispersing nodules. As market demand for it grows larger and larger, many regions are cultivating it, but to maximize returns, you need to master high-yield cultivation techniques. Let's take a look at the high-yield cultivation techniques for zucchini with Qinnong Web.
1. Site Selection and Seed Selection
Zucchini has a certain degree of drought tolerance but is afraid of waterlogging, so it is suitable for planting on loose-textured, sunny slopes. Before planting, you need to find out whether the previous crop conflicts with it, and also check for pesticide residue issues. Pesticide residue is a major problem in today's crop production industry, and in severe cases it can cause phytotoxicity and total crop failure. After choosing a suitable plot for planting, you need to select high-quality varieties. When selecting seeds, choose excellent varieties that are early-maturing, high-yielding, and fast-growing, preferably the early green first-generation zucchini hybrid variety with trailing vine characteristics.
2. Sowing and Seedling Raising
Before sowing, the seeds must first be treated to increase the germination rate. First, sun the seeds and soak them in warm water, or dress them with chemicals to eliminate and avoid carried pathogens, reduce seedling-stage diseases, and make the seedlings grow robustly. The sowing time depends on the local climate and planting season: sow in September for autumn, sow in October for winter greenhouses, and sow in November for spring. There are strict standards for sowing quantity. Generally, sow about 400 grams per mu, at a sowing depth of 3cm. After sowing, apply fertilizer and spray chemicals to eliminate weeds.
3. Transplanting
When the seedlings have grown enough to be transplanted, transplant them in a timely manner. The transplanting density should be based on the seedling variety and growth conditions. If it is a variety with a larger plant type and robust growth, it can be appropriately planted sparsely. It is recommended to use a plant spacing of 80cm and a row spacing of 140 for emergence, while for general varieties it can be 80cm*80cm, with 800-100 plants transplanted per mu.
4. Fertilizer and Water Management
Zucchini has strong drought tolerance, so its water requirements are not high. Water once during land preparation in the early stage, and later water can be combined with fertilization. Zucchini fertilization is mainly based on organic fertilizer, and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers can also be used. Before transplanting, apply 5000-7000kg of fully decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, along with a small amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer. During the seedling stage, water once and apply one topdressing of urea, which helps the seedlings recover. In addition, water and fertilize once when the fruit sets to ensure nutrient supply during fruit setting. In the full fruit-bearing period, fertilizer and water management is especially important, requiring watering and fertilizing once every half month, each time with 10kg of urea per mu, 30kg of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer, or 400-500kg of fully decomposed organic fertilizer.
5. Field Management
Field management mainly includes intertillage and weeding, temperature and light management, pruning and trellising, and artificial pollination. Generally, intertillage and weeding are carried out twice a year. The first time is at the seedling stage, when the seedlings have grown to 20cm, and the second time is when they have grown to 5-6 leaves. Later timing depends on soil conditions. During flowering and fruiting, the temperature must not exceed 30 degrees, and at night it must not be lower than 15 degrees. In addition, sufficient light must be maintained, and artificial supplemental lighting can be provided during long periods of cloudy and rainy weather. Timely pruning and trellising can increase planting density, extend the growth period, promote early fruit setting, and increase yield. Artificial pollination goes without saying: when pollination is poor or impossible for certain reasons, artificial assisted pollination is needed to increase yield.
The above is the high-yield cultivation technique for zucchini brought to you by Qinnong Web. We hope it can help you. To learn more about zucchini cultivation knowledge, please stay tuned to Qinnong Web.