Newbie Zucchini question

19 years ago

I am enjoying my first small vegetable garden this summer (I am just outside Seattle to the north) (10'x10', snap peas earlier, all manner of lettuce, a couple of determinate tomatoes finally *maybe* starting to turn red now, and all the zucchini I can take for the last 6 weeks). Because my garden area is small I have started winter mustards, collards, and kales in pots for later transplanting and my question is about how long I can expect the zucchini to go on?

I think that I am noticing a decline in production with the shortening days (certainly from a month ago). A higher number are showing signs of rot before reaching suitable size and I see fewer bees about. In the interest of efficiency, at what point does the growth rate slow so much that it is just time to pull them? (Should I just wait till mildew or frost takes them, or is there a magic 'pull' date for zucchini?) I need the space for the winter stuff and am considering pulling the zucchini when the sprouts look big for their pots...but I would hate to waste zucchini if they can continue for months and months ...but would also hate to leave the winter stuff in pots unnecessarily when they could be getting used to their new home in the better late summer weather.

When are the zucchini usually done?

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Comments (4)

scarleta
19 years ago
Zucchini needs heat to produce, and will slow down when its cooler,Having said this it will continue at a slower rate well into fall in our area.You would loose it if you were to put it into pots.YOu may remove some leaves at the bottom and thin it a bit to make some space for others to grow.Whatever you have in pots can still wait a bit just need to feed it.Good luck to you..
albertine
19 years ago
The rotting thing happens when they aren't pollinated. I have been having a production problem all summer - the plants I have are not producing very many male flowers - when I do see one I am hand pollinating with it and getting some - it may be a question of variety. Usually I just see this in the beginning of production in the spring, but these have been low all summer. I can't believe I'm complaining about not having enough zucchinis!
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canayen
19 years ago
Zucchini humour...(on a good season...)
If no-one has offered you any zucchini it's perhaps that... you... don't... have... any friends...
(No offense intended)
trolley_molly
19 years ago
Albertine, you have my sympathy. I had zucchini crop failure two years in a row and it was humiliating to have to ask gardening friends if they had any extra zucchini to spare. I couldn't do it; had to go the the farmers' market for my zucchini. Both years I'd purchased plants at the Seattle Tilth plant sale, and they were new (to me) varieties. I went back to growing from seed, using known varieties, and I get a decent crop again.