Fruits of this member of the Italian marrow squashes grow most commonly in cylindrical shapes, but also in round and intermediate shapes. Fruit color varies from a green so dark as to be near black, to lighter shades of green both with and without stripes, all the way to tones of yellow. Many are highlighted with various degrees of speckling.

Zucchini is easy to grow. It is a warm season vegetable readily injured by frost and freezes. Plant seeds directly in the garden, or use containerized transplants. Space plants 24 inches apart (or closer if space is limited) on 36-48 inch wide beds. Hill planting is also feasible. Four to six plants will feed an average size family in any one growing season. Fertilize as for other garden vegetables.

Plants have both lake and female flowers, a situation which requires insects (bees primarily) for pollination. If bee activity is low, female flowers are likely to drop.

Insects that bother zucchini include leafminers, aphids, cutworms, squash vine borers, squash bugs, cucumber beetles, mole crickets, and fruit worms. Common diseases are downy mildew, powdery mildew, mosaic viruses, and fruit rots. Occasional injury results from root-knot nematodes.

Crossing with other nearby varieties of squash occurs readily. No harm is done, however, unless the seeds are to be saved and planted. Crossing will occur with straightnecks, crooknecks, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, and others.

Source: James M. Stephens. Fact Sheet HS-675, a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Revised for CD-ROM: May 1994.