Zucchini Zuboda
A compact zucchini with remarkable yields: upright habit, no trellis needed, with dark green fruits, subtly marbled and with few seeds.
About the variety. Determinate growth, ideal for small gardens. Highly productive; the first harvest occurs approximately six weeks after planting. The flowers are also edible.
Itinerário técnico
Um guia de cultivo passo a passo, da sementeira à colheita.
Normally sown 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 operation should be carried out as carefully as possible to minimise root damage. Plants can be grown in rows with 30 to 60 cm between plants and 1.5 to 1.8 m between rows.
The crop thrives in fertile, well-drained, heavy-textured soils. The pH should be between 6.5 and 7.0.
This crop thrives in bright locations, away from areas prone to cold winds and late frosts. During summer it prefers daytime temperatures between 22 and 32°C and nighttime 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, as in addition to precise water delivery, it also prevents water from sitting on the leaves, which can lead to disease development.
Mulching is an interesting option for this crop, whether with organic materials or plastic, as it helps prevent weed competition, avoids contact between the courgettes and the soil, and can also raise soil temperature in early crops.
Mites, aphids, whitefly and thrips are the main pests of this crop. For mite control, biological control with predatory mites can be used, as well as the application of azadirachtin and sulphur powder. For aphid control, 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 sprays with nettle slurry, and applications of potassium soap and azadirachtin. For whitefly control, attention should be paid to moderate fertilisation without excess nitrogen, avoiding the transplanting of infested nursery plants, placing yellow sticky traps for detection, 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 appropriate border plants that favour 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 adequate crop rotations, biofumigation and soil solarisation. Downy mildew is controlled through adequate 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 sulphur (wettable or dustable) may also be applied (as an alternative, sulphur powder + lithothamne (1:1) can be used for dusting, which is less phytotoxic than straight sulphur).
The fruits can be kept for about two weeks at a temperature between 5 and 10°C and a relative humidity of 95%.
