Many types of vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers are now suitable for pots or balconies. But will that also work with zucchini? After all, the plant needs a lot of space due to the formation of large flowers and leaves.

In addition, zucchini is very productive - a single plant produces a large number of fruits. And with a length of 15 - 20 cm. So zucchini in a pot?

I tried it.

I've been a hobby gardener on balconies for four years now. In addition to flowers, balcony tomatoes and strawberries have also found their way into the garden. Now I want to try growing zucchini. After all, as the owner of a south-facing balcony, I have the ideal conditions for the sun-loving zucchini.

What sorts

The first thing I did was inquire about suitable varieties. It is important that the plant does not become too large. Varieties that climb upwards or grow compactly are well suited. The varieties Black Forest F1, Patiostar F1, Summer Ball F1 and the mini zucchini piccolo are available for the pot.

I chose the Black Forest F1 variety with large yellow flowers and classic green fruits. I got the seeds to grow from the garden store. Online shipping also offers a large selection.

Flower box or tub?

I had to consider the pot size. The pot should be at least 15 liters to give the plant a good grip and after watering the pot should not be too heavy. So I got a paint bucket with a diameter of 40 cm from the hardware store. I drilled a small drainage hole in the bottom for the irrigation water and covered it with a shard of pottery.

I filled the bucket with a mixture of nutrient-rich soil (also from the hardware store) and some compost (from my parents' garden). This provided sufficient fertilizer.

It started with preferring the zucchini plant

The bag of seeds contained seven grains. At the end of April I put 2 seeds in each of two small pots filled with soil. In their place on the windowsill in the kitchen, the seeds had enough light to germinate, which took only ten days. Instead of using the watering can, I kept the soil moist with the spray bottle.

I was lucky, all the seeds sprouted. But I only left the stronger of the two seedlings. At the end of May, the ice saints were over and I was able to repot one of the plants in the prepared bucket on the sunny balcony. I gave away the second plant.

Since the "Black Forest F1" is a climbing variety, I pulled ropes up along the balcony wall as a climbing aid. Now all I had to do was water, admire the yellow flowers and watch the fruit grow. My balcony was safe from voracious insects and my little plant was also spared the dreaded powdery mildew.

8 weeks after planting out the time had come

I was able to harvest my first two zucchini - 15 cm tall, dark green and oblong fruits with tender flesh. They were immediately processed into delicious, steamed vegetables. More fruits are growing and the plant is busy developing new flowers, which promises a rich harvest.

The zucchini-in-a-pot experiment paid off

… and almost no work done. I already know what will become of the further harvest: grilled zucchini, stuffed zucchini, salad. Fried or stuffed zucchini blossoms are said to be a real delicacy. Maybe I'll try that out. Welcome to the next balcony party.

Category:

Vegetable garden