Zucchini are easy-care crops that bear plenty of fruit. Unfortunately, with their large leaves, they take up a lot of space in raised beds, pots and vegetable beds. Luckily, there are a few tricks you can use to grow zucchini in a space-saving manner.
Growing zucchini to save space: the minimum distance to the neighbors
The zucchini grow very large and take up a lot of space. The outdoor plants need around 1 square meter per zucchini so that they can develop well, remain healthy and bear plenty of fruit. Not always possible. In this case, you can try a few tricks to make optimal use of the available space. For example:
- Buy compact varieties for balconies - they are also suitable for outdoor cultivation, but require significantly less space.
- Leave space for at least two plants - the zucchini will cross-pollinate.
- Plant in a place protected from the wind – for example, right next to corn or sunflowers. Both are good neighbors and get along well with zucchini.
- Other good neighbors for zucchini are: leeks, onions and runner beans. They take up little space and the recommended minimum distance is significantly smaller.
- Plant zucchini with herbs: Dill, mint and oregano thrive when planted between the leaves of the zucchini.
Growing zucchini vertically: pot with climbing aid and climbing zucchini varieties
If you are looking for a space-saving alternative for the balcony or greenhouse, then you can tie up the zucchini. However, not every variety is suitable for this. “Alfresco”, “Black Forest”, “Shooting-Star” and “Quine” are the most popular varieties of climbing zucchini. They are high-yielding and have a long harvest time.
For this purpose you can buy a climbing aid or build it yourself. The quickest and easiest way to do this with young plants is to use a climbing tower/pyramid. You can use a planting stick for zucchini that has already grown. The shoots are then tied loosely as soon as they reach at least 25 cm high. The necessary distance between the individual plants in this case is around 60 to 80 cm.
Tying them up offers many advantages for the plants: it improves air circulation, you can water the zucchini better from below and theLeaves stay dry, the leaves do not come into contact with the soil and are less likely to be attacked by pests and fungal diseases.
Growing zucchini to save space: Place them on the edge of the raised bed
If you want to grow the zucchini in a raised bed to save space, then place the young plants directly on the edge and let the leaves protrude over the edge. This leaves more space for other plants. Alternatively, you can also create a space-saving planting plan and plant the zucchini between other plants. Suitable planting partners include soybeans, corn and pumpkins. Invest in compact pot varieties; they have smaller leaves than outdoor plants and take up less space in the raised bed. Another tip: Place the zucchini plants close to each other so that they can cross-pollinate.
Thin regularly in the pot and in the greenhouse
Especially in the greenhouse, the zucchini can take up too much space and overgrow or shade the rest of the crops. To prevent this, you should regularly cut off a few zucchini leaves. The lower leaves are removed first because they are entry points for pathogens. Then the plant is thinned out a little if necessary - the leaves that cast shadows on neighboring plants are removed. Leaves that grow too close together are also pinched off or cut off. This regular care promotes growth and shortens the ripening time of the fruit. However, you shouldn't overdo it, because if too many leaves are removed, the entire plant can die.
Growing zucchini: The most important things summarized
Zucchini are one of the most popular vegetables in Germany and are often grown in private gardens. The only problem is that the vegetables take up too much space and often overgrow other plants. This can be prevented with a few tricks. For example:
- Buy compact pot varieties - they are not only suitable for the balcony, but also for greenhouses and raised beds. For these varieties, the minimum distance between plants is 60 cm - half of what large-leaved zucchini needs.
- If space is limited, tie up the zucchini. For this purpose, you can use a climbing aid for tomatoes or tie the plants to a plant stake.
- Zucchini grown vertically can also be planted with herbs
- Large-leaved varieties need to be thinned out regularly. This ensures that all fruits receive sufficient sunlight and thus shortens the ripening time.
- Plant the zucchini at the edge of the raised bed so that the shoots can protrude over the edge and so the leaves and fruits take up less space in the bed.
