Zucchini Di Nizza
A surprising round courgette, distinguished from the more common shape by its globular form, perfect for stuffing.
About the variety. Di Nizza produces round fruits with green skin, white spots, and yellowish-white flesh; they weigh 450–550 g and should be harvested when they reach about 12 cm in diameter. The fruits grow very quickly, so it is important to pick them at the right moment. Harvesting stimulates the production of new fruits.
Itinerário técnico
Um guia de cultivo passo a passo, da sementeira à colheita.
Usually started in trays and transplanted when the plant has 2 to 3 true leaves. Bear in mind that this crop is somewhat sensitive to transplant shock, so the process should be carried out as carefully as possible to minimize root damage. Plants can be grown in rows, spacing them 30 to 60 cm apart with 1.5 to 1.8 m between rows.
This crop thrives in fertile, well-drained, heavy-textured soils. The pH should be between 6.5 and 7.0.
The crop thrives in bright locations, away from cold winds and late frosts. During summer it prefers daytime temperatures between 22 and 32°C and night temperatures no lower than 20°C. The crop benefits from a south-facing position.
It is a somewhat demanding crop; some compost should be incorporated into the base fertilisation.
During the initial phase, adequate soil moisture is essential, as well as during pollination and fruit set. Drip irrigation is a great option for this crop: in addition to precise water delivery, it also keeps foliage dry, reducing the risk of disease development.
Mulching is an interesting option for this crop, whether with organic materials or plastic, as it helps prevent weed competition, keeps the courgettes from touching the soil, and can also raise soil temperature in early crops.
Mites, aphids, whitefly and thrips are the main pests of this crop. To control mites, biological control with predatory mites can be used, along with applications of azadirachtin and sulphur dust. To control aphids, attention should be paid to moderate fertilisation without excess nitrogen, natural limitation through border hedgerows to encourage beneficial insects, biological control with parasitoid or predatory Hymenoptera, weekly spraying with nettle slurry, and applications of potassium soap and azadirachtin. To control whitefly, attention should be paid to moderate fertilisation without excess nitrogen, avoiding transplanting infested plants from the nursery, placing yellow sticky traps for monitoring, and biological control with parasitoid Hymenoptera and predatory mites, in addition to the use of azadirachtin. Finally, thrips should be controlled through the use of suitable border plants favourable to anthocorid beneficials (such as marigolds) and biological control with predatory mites and anthocorids.
Fusarium wilt, downy mildew, powdery mildew and grey mould are diseases affecting this crop. To control fusarium, it is recommended to practise appropriate crop rotations, biofumigation and soil solarisation. Downy mildew is controlled through appropriate crop rotations, wide plant spacing, avoiding excess soil moisture and the use of copper-based fungicides. Powdery mildew is controlled through wide plant spacing and moderate fertilisation without excess nitrogen; dusting or wettable sulphur powder may also be applied (as an alternative, sulphur powder + lithothamne (1:1) as a dust, which is less phytotoxic than pure sulphur).
The fruits can be kept for about two weeks at a temperature between 5 and 10°C and a relative humidity of 95%.
