A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 zucchini growing techniques

I am growing zucchini for the first time, and I think I planted way to much and didn't space them far enough apart. Can they be grown vertically like cucumbers?? I was thinking of using tomato cages for them.

any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Ciao Claire,

Unless they're specifically a vining zucchini and there are some Italian varieties that do this, most summer squash have a bush growth habit and won't climb. Your best bet is to try to corral them into a larger tomato cage, like 30" diameter or make something yourself out of chicken wire and wooden stakes. You can then at least train the large leaves up and over this containment system and they won't crowd each other as much. It will still be a challenge to harvest the zucchini and you want to be vigilant if you don't like squash the size of your leg. I'm sure you'll do ok, though. Enjoy your harvests!

Cheers,
Julianna

i put tomato cages around mine and just p[ush them way into the ground. they don't climb but it keeps them off the gound a bit and they take up less space. only thing i can suggest if you have too many is to give them away. my first year growing zukes i ended up with way too much also and gave about 1/2 of the crop away! my friends loved it though!

"If you don't like squash the size of your leg" - that really made me LOL ! That just hit me funny.
Cracked up !

But seriously, though.....

Those things can grow ALOT overnight!

And they taste like a wooden leg! :p

leg sized squash sound great except for the wood taste!

I will try the big tomato cage thing - thanks for the suggestions, they are growing so fast I am worried about them encroaching on my oyther plants. Bad planning on my part, but ya live and learn i guess

thanks!

Ciao all,

I'm glad you found my comment amusing, but I was dead serious. I've harvested zucchini that were hidden by large leaves and they can easily reach a meter in length. What I do with them if they get cheeky and hide like that is I either make them into bread or I stuff them. Baking them softens them up and if the skin is tough, you can still scoop out the flesh and the stuffing. I'm either a rare person or just Italian in that I can never seem to have ENOUGH zucchini for what I like to make with them.

Cheers and buona fortuna,
Julianna

You just reminded my to check on mine. Yes they can grow VERY quickly, especially after a slow rain.

Hi everyone Ihave 9 plants in a 10 by 10 space I check them every day . They will grow overnight to a leg size zuc

Heres a link to some yummy zuc recipes

http://forums.gardeningclub.com/eve.../m/78910559521/r/25310007621#25310007621

( how do you shorten links )

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click on "full reply form" at the bottom of the reply window and there is a button 'url' to paste a URL into one highlighted word like this

Julianna, sounds like some good things from the garden and the Italian kitchen (cucina?) there !
Seriously, I've seen thiose monster zukes and I know what you meant.
Do you grow artichokes?

here is the zuccini fritter recipe I saw! No wonder I couldnt find it, I was looking in the wrong forum. recipe

They do taste the best if thery are only about 3 inches wide and about 10 inches long.. I slice mine and dip it in milk and then flour.. Fry till golden on both sides.....

Our ultimate way........

dodge

Welcome to vine veggie plants......They grow on ya :>

I had the same problem except the drought killed many of them off but still sold\gave away\eat tons of them.

I did`nt even plant ANY this year and I got 8 plants (volenteers from seeds from last year) and those are very big now.

Ciao Deborah,

Sadly, we can't really grow artichokes up here, at least not this far East. I'm not sure if it gets enough sun in Vancouver for them to grow. My Uncle Charlie in California grows them, along with just about any other Mediterranean plant. I do miss finding them at roadside stands. I grow fava beans here, though, and they do very well.

Cheers,
Julianna

The zucchini bread suggestion is my remedy, I bake the mini loaves and pass them out, yummy and good for you too.

Julianna,
I'm not sure if this idea would interest you, but I have noticed that if you're having mashed potatoes with butter and some simmered zucchini, if you take a bite of each together, it tastes exactly like artichoke.
It does to me anyway ! I like this when artichokes aren't in season.

Does your uncle grow cardoons?
I've always wanted to grow cardoons.

quick update - i decided to leave the zukes alone, and they are huge!!! the plants are now almost 3 feet across and over a foot high, and there are tons of blooms on them. i am going to be in zucchini heaven!
all my neighbors think i'm nuts cause we have townhomes with fairly small back yards, no one else on my block grows veggies. i will gladly be the oddball though, i don't mind