Black Beauty Zucchini

Black Beauty is known to be an incredibly prolific vining summer squash. Plant once your soil reaches 65 degrees. Zucchini plants hate having their roots disturbed, so if at all possible, plant from seed. It is common for transplanted seedlings to be unhealthy plants.  Plant in hills 18-24 inches apart in full sun. Plant seeds 1" deep in the soil. Thin seedlings to 2-3 plants per mound. Seeds should germinate within 10-14 days. Zucchini need full sun so plant these in a part of your garden where they'll get at least 6 to 8 hours of sun a day. The plants get really large, so allow at least 3 feet between plants. Make sure the soil drains well, as they hate soggy feet. Create raised beds if soil tends to be heavy and poorly draining. Water regularly through the growing season and mulch the soil lightly to aid with reducing water evaporation. Once the vines and leaves bush out, they'll act as a natural mulch by shading the soil. About 45 to 55 days after planting, you’ll begin to see blooms, which are soon replaced with the fruit. When the early zucchinis are about six inches long, you can start harvesting them. 

Plant in the phosphorus rich bed.

You can direct sow squash seeds once danger of frost is over, but it is better to sow in trays and transplant when plants have their first true leaves. Zucchini prefer about a 6.0 pH. Add compost and/or manure to the soil. Raise the soil into a mound and then dig a hole about six inches deep into the middle. Put fish in hole prior to planting squash plant. You can ask a fish store for his fish heads and scraps that he is going to throw out or you can just go to a bait shop and buy inexpensive fish there. Add 4-5 Tab. garden lime to reduce blossom end rot, and it also masks the smell of the fish that you have put in the hole with the plant so that animals won't dig the fish up. Also add 4 Tablespoons of bone meal (phosphorus) for the phosphorus to help with root growth and blooms. To prevent blossom end rot, make sure you do not neglect fertilizer to help root growth because if the roots are not strong enough to absorb the calcium in the soil, the end of the fruits will rot. For this reason, you will want to provide the plant with at least twice as much phosphorus than nitrogen. The lime will provide the needed calcium. Cover the hole over with soil. Then make a hole a little larger than the size of your plant's roots, if you are transplanting. Add 1 Tablespoons of blood meal (nitrogen) and 2 more Tablespoons of bone meal. Add the plant directly on top of this. Add soil to the hole and press gently to firmly plant the squash.

You can expect to begin a harvest in about 60 days. By four weeks you should see both male and female blossoms, although you may see only male flowers in the beginning. The plants will spread out as much as six feet, so they require a lot of room. You do not want the leaves of two plants to touch or you could get mildew problems. You should get multiple harvests from the same plant.