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(Best months for planting Zucchini in Australia - cool/mountain regions)

• Harvest in 44-63 days
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 21°C and 35°C.
• Space plants: 50-90cm

Plant into a slightly raised, well composted bed and mulch. Frost tender, and needs regular plentiful water. Produces large leaves with a spread of about 1.5m x 1.5m. Some varieties trail a bit but don't climb. The yellow (or gold) variety is more resistant to mould damage in humid areas and remains productive even when the leaves have mildew on them. The yellow varieties sometimes have yellow patches on their leaves but it is just colour not disease.

Blackjack is the most popular green variety. At the start, the plants produce mainly male flowers. The female ones start as the weather warms up and the plants grow. A spray with a 5gm/teasp Bicarbonate of Soda in 600ml/pint of water will help slow powdery mildew when it appears.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Zucchini

Zucchini are best picked or cut off the stem at about 15cm / 6 inches.
Pick frequently to keep the plant producing new flowers.

Your comments and tips

22 Nov 09 Claire (Australia - temperate climate)

I have recently heard that you should pull the flower off the end of the zucchini once the zucchini has started to grow. The reson I was given is that if the flower is left on, it can cause the zucchini to rot due the amount of moisture it attracts??? I am going to try it as my zucchinis are begining to grow and then going yellow and rotting from the flower end? Has anyone else heard this???

02 Dec 09 Adam (Australia - temperate climate)

Claire, I would really like to know the answer to the rotting issue, mine start growing well and then some grow fully then some rot on the top, I want to know how to stop the rotting.

02 Dec 09 Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Claire and Adam, The flower heads will drop off pollinated zucchini . Small zucchini rot because they are not pollinated. See earlier answers for info about hand pollination.

14 Dec 09 Catherine (Australia - tropical climate)

Hi Judy, I have the same red/orange bugs eating my zucchini leaves I think. Any info from anyone on this would be appreciated. My onion, garlic, chili spray didn't seem to deter them.

22 Dec 09 Tui (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

my plants are looking quite pale and stunted (light green to yellow) and I am getting male flowers that twist up and die before they open. What is going wrong?

28 Dec 09 leonie (Australia - temperate climate)

Can I cut off some of the big zucchini leaves to stop them smothering tomatoes etc.? Heaps of zuccs. and growing 10cms. a day.Best ever this year!

04 Jan 10 jack (Australia - temperate climate)

also have problem of zucchini rotting from flower end.. i read cross polination is the answer.. which is male and female flowers??? or do i cross polinate all the flowers??

06 Jan 10 Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi Jack, The female flower has a little baby zucchini attached, while the male flower is just on a stalk and has a single stamen within the flower. I find it's best to use a little paint brush to gather the yellow pollen from the stamen in the male flower and gently deposit onto the stamen in the female flower. Keeping the plant well fertilised with seaweed and fish emulsion will also help the plant stay healthy enough to help the fruit to form properly.

09 Jan 10 jack (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Barb.. thanks for the information. very much appreciated.. when growing in Denman I had no problem,, plenty of bees I suppose,,, but here in Newcastle had no luck with zucchinis or apple cucumbers.. now I know what to do I might get luckier.. thanks again.

19 Jan 10 Jo (Australia - temperate climate)

i have just read about blossom end rot, which is the rot some of you have described. this is caused by lack of calcium which can be inproved by adding lime to the soil. I'm wondering if this can be done when the plant is fruiting and if it will help at all on the current crop. i know it can sometimes help with current crop of tomatoes.