Zucchini 'Blackjack'
Blackjack sets the standard for easy results. Famously productive, with glossy, very dark green fruit produced on compact, vigorous plants.
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Quick and easy to grow, zucchinis are perfect for the beginner gardener. Once they are ready (only in a short 6-8 weeks), pick the vegies and enjoy them grilled, baked, roasted or stir-fried. Or if you’re feeling up to it, stuff the flowers (just the male ones) and deep fry – yum!
How to grow zucchini in a garden
- Choose a sunny spot in the garden with well drained soil and enrich with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed. Add Yates Hydrangea Pinking Liquid Lime & Dolomite to sweeten the soil and help prevent blossom end rot.
- Sow 3-4 seeds into mounds of moist soil spaced 40cm apart and water well.
- As seedlings grow, thin seedlings and leave only the two strongest. Mulch around the base of the plants with organic mulch like pea or lucerne straw to retain moisture.
- Feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
- Harvest when fruit is small and tender for best flavour. Pick regularly to encourage more fruiting.
How to grow Zucchini in a pot
Zucchinis grow best in the garden, but can still grow well in pots. Look for compact growing varieties.
- Choose a pot or trough at least 400mm wide and deep. Position in full sun and protect from strong winds.
- Fill pot with quality potting mix, such Yates Premium Potting Mix. Sow seeds, cover lightly and water well.
- As seedlings grow, thin seedlings and leave only the strongest and feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Fish Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate.
- Harvest when fruit is small and tender for best flavour. Pick regularly to encourage more fruiting.
Zucchini 'Dark Green' (Organic)
Easy to grow, popular variety with long, even, dark green fruit produced abundantly.
Delicious raw, steamed, baked or in stir-fries.
Zucchini 'Greyzini'
This easy to grow Lebanese type zucchini produces stubby, grey-green speckled fruit, with subtle stripes. An old favourite, best known for producing super abundant yields.
Zucchini 'Solar Flare' Hybrid
This reliable F1 hybrid produces heavy crops of bright golden yellow zucchini - ideal to add colour and visual flair to dishes.
Growing tips
Pick fruit when small and tender
Failure to set fruit is often due to the absence of pollinators, such as bees. You can hand pollinate to help – simply pick a male flower (the smaller yellow flower without fruit forming at the base) and touch it lightly onto the centre stem of the female flower.
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Perilla
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Recommended products
Yates Hydrangea Pinking Liquid Lime & Dolomite
Apply to hydrangeas to change flowers to pink colour.
Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed
A certified organic garden input boosted with NZ Seaweed to gently nourish plants, enrich the soil and encourage a strong healthy root system.
Yates Thrive Natural Fish & Seaweed+ Plant Food Concentrate
A complete plant food enriched with natural fish, seaweed, humates, molasses and more - boosted with NPK to improve plant and soil vitality.
Yates Premium Potting Mix
A premium potting mix, ideal for all potted plants and shrubs, including ornamentals, fruit trees, vegies and herbs.
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