By Sarah Empey
Zucchini is delicious, healthy, and fun to grow! Find out how far apart to space your zucchini plants to give them room to thrive.
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Zucchini (Cucurbita spp.) is a delicious type of summer squash, meaning you typically harvest it in the summer. Planting zucchini in your home vegetable garden is a fun, delightful way to gather fresh zucchini for your recipes. To encourage a bountiful harvest, it's important to start off on the right note and space your zucchini plants correctly.
When plants have the right amount of space between them, it promotes healthy growth by improving air circulation, allowing equal sunlight exposure, and it helps prevent vines from tangling. Find out how far apart you should plant your zucchini to encourage a bountiful harvest!
How Far Apart Should You Plant Zucchini?
The correct spacing between your zucchini plants depends on where you are in the planting process. Learn more about the different distances for planting zucchini, whether you are transplanting sprouts, direct sowing seeds, or thinning seedlings. Plus, learn how to space zucchini based on whether your cultivar is a bush or vine variety.
Transplanting Sprouts
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If you enjoy starting seeds indoors, try cultivating zucchini inside before you plant it in the garden. It can be more challenging to start indoors and then successfully transplant zucchini, but it is still possible if you harden it off. Hardening off is taking your seedlings outside for a few more hours each day to help them acclimate.
First, use a small pot of 2 to 3 inches and sow up to four seeds per container. Then, about two weeks after your last spring frost, harden off the sprouts. After doing so, transplant them in the ground and leave 1 to 2 feet of room between the sprouts.
Direct Sowing Seeds
While transplanting is possible, it is generally best to direct sow zucchini seeds right in the ground. When soil temperatures warm to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, plant zucchini seeds ½ inch deep in the earth. Sow seeds 2 inches apart in rows with 2 to 3 feet of space on both sides.
Alternatively, you can plant zucchini seeds in a "hill" instead of a row. This is a small mound of soil above the surface that is large enough to plant up to five seeds, with 3 to 4 feet of space between hills.
Hills are a great way to encourage germination because the little mound of soil warms faster than the garden bed.
Thinning Seedlings
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When you plant zucchini seeds, thin them out when they are 2 to 3 inches tall. The space you need depends on your planting method:
- Starting indoors - thin to two plants per container
- Direct sowing in rows - thin to one zucchini plant for every 1 to 2 feet
- Direct sowing in hills - thin to a maximum of three plants per hill, with at least 3 to 4 feet of room between hills, depending on your cultivar
To thin your seedlings, snap or snip the stems of the weakest plants to remove them.
Bush vs. Vine Varieties
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Bush and vine are the two main types of zucchinis. Their names aptly describe how they grow. Bush varieties form a compact bush, and vine cultivars have long vines that need more space. So as well as considering the planting stage, it is also important to base your spacing on the particular cultivar you intend to plant.
Usually, bush varieties only need 2 to 3 feet between hills, while vine varieties prefer 5 to 6 feet of space. Remember that each cultivar will have unique requirements, so always check your seed packet for specific guidelines.
Cultivars of bush zucchini include 'Bush Baby,' 'Patio Star,' and 'Black Beauty.' Top varieties of vine zucchini include 'Italian Ribbed,' 'Golden Egg,' and 'Cocozelle.'
What About Container Zucchini?
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If you have a small space, you can also cultivate zucchini in containers. In this case, you need to be mindful of how much room each plant in the container has. To grow zucchini in a pot, you need a 14-inch container with drainage holes in the bottom. Plant two seeds in the container ½ inch deep. Then similar to transplants and direct sowing, thin your seedlings out when they are 2 inches tall by removing the weaker one.
You should only have one zucchini plant growing per 14-inch container. For best results, pick a compact bush variety; these are typically better for containers because they require less growing space.
General Zucchini Care Tips
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Spacing is essential, but it's not the only thing your zucchini needs to thrive. Generally, you should plant zucchini in an area with full sunlight, in soil with a pH between 5.8 and 6.8.
Typically, zucchini plants also need at least 1 inch of water every week, and the soil should ideally be moist 4 inches down. If rainfall doesn't provide enough water, you must irrigate the soil.
After about two months or 60 days, your zucchini will be ready to harvest. You can usually pick your zucchini when it is between 6 and 8 inches long. Cut the stem about 1 inch away from the fruit to harvest it.
Always check particular care requirements for your specific cultivar; with so many different varieties of zucchini, plant care guidelines can vary.
Cultivate Zucchini With Zeal
Growing zucchinis is a gratifying project. Not only will you have a stunning vegetable garden you can also gather a superb harvest for your home cooking. Spacing zucchinis correctly is an excellent way to start off on the right foot. Remember to align your spacing based on where you are in the growing process and whether you are planting in containers, hills, or rows. Then about two months later, you can enjoy your hard work and harvest fresh zucchini.
How far apart do you space your zucchini plants? Share your tips in the comments below to help fellow gardeners cultivate delicious zucchini.
