Zucchini can be sown directly outdoors from mid-May. The soil and air have then warmed to a favorable 12 - 14 degrees and offer the best conditions for germination and growth of the young plants.
When and how can you sow zucchini directly outdoors?
Zucchini can be sown directly outdoors from mid-May to the end of July. Choose a sunny location, prepare the bed with compost and sow 3-4 seeds per 80 cm distance. Keep the soil moist and protect the seedlings from slug damage.
Choose seeds
Garden markets and online shipping companies offer a wide variety of zucchini seeds. All varieties are also suitable for sowing outdoors. So you can sow whatever tastes good and looks good.
This is needed for sowing
- Plant Iron
- Raken
- Watering can
Where to sow
You can sow the zucchini directly in the vegetable patch in a sunny location. You have to consider the high space requirement. One plant takes up around 1.5 to 2 square meters of space. In the large area it is convenient to mark the seeds.
Prepare the bed
In order to provide the plants with nutrients right from the start, compost is loosely raked into the ground. Dig holes about 3 cm deep with the plant iron at a distance of 80 cm.
How to sow
- place 3 - 4 seeds each in the prepared seed holes
- cover loosely with soil and water carefully
- Keep soil moist
- The germination period is 6 to 14 days depending on the weather
Sowing is possible from mid-May to the end of July. However, zucchini sown late are less productive.
The young plants
If several plants develop per seed site, they must be separated. Only the strongest plant is left standing. It should have around 3 - 4 leaves. Regular watering is important for good growth.
The young plants must be protected from snail damage. You can use snail pellets (€16.00 on Amazon), snail fences or snail collars. To protect against hail and possible late frost, you can cover the plants with plastic caps or garden fleece.
Relocating plants
If you want to move the young zucchini plants again, you must maintain a planting distance of approx. 1m. The best time to plant is when there are at least 4 leaves on the plant.
Tips & Tricks
An alternative to the large vegetable patch is a smaller patch where you can just grow the small zucchini plants. Here the distance when sowing can be reduced to around 20 cm.
