Zucchini is considered one of the most unpretentious crops, which even novice gardeners can cope with growing. However, sometimes even experienced gardeners are faced with the fact that plants begin to turn yellow, which negatively affects their productivity. In this case, the main thing is to figure it out, after which you can determine how to help the plantings and how to prevent such a situation in the future.
It is worth noting that if zucchini turns yellow closer to autumn, then this is a completely normal phenomenon, since the plants age and gradually change their color. The alarm should be sounded if healthy green leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow at the beginning or in the middle of their growth. As a rule, this indicates unfavorable conditions for plant development or diseases.
Causes of yellowing zucchini
Zucchini can begin to change its color at any stage of growth, and often this leads, if not to the death of the plants, then to a significant deterioration in the quality of the crop. The most common causes, zucchini, are presented below.
Thickened planting
Some gardeners, wanting to grow as many zucchini as possible in their beds, plant the plants too densely. This leads to the fact that the vegetables do not have enough light, and their lower leaves are poorly ventilated, which is why they begin to turn yellow. If such leaves are not removed in time, they may begin to rot, which quickly spreads throughout the entire bed. To prevent such a scenario, it is necessary to ensure that the plantings are not too dense, which would require sacrificing several shoots.
Nutrient deficiencies
If the soil on which zucchini grows is not fertile enough, then the plants may lag behind in development: fruit ovaries do not form on them, and the leaves begin to quickly turn yellow. Identifying this problem is quite simple, because plants that lack nutrients differ from healthy ones in appearance - they are smaller, weaker and grow slowly. You can correct the situation by feeding vegetables with organic matter, nitrogen fertilizers or ash. At the same time, it is important not to overdo it with fertilizing, so as not to burn the root system of plants and not provoke the accumulation of nitrates in them.
Powdery mildew
The cause of yellowing of zucchini can also be a disease dangerous for pumpkins such as powdery mildew. This can be identified by external signs. Thus, white spots form on the leaves of plants, which over time cover the entire leaf plate, leading to its yellowing and drying out. When severely affected by powdery mildew, entire vines of zucchini may die, which leads to the death of the crop. If signs of disease are detected on plants, it is best to remove diseased bushes from the garden bed and destroy them. After harvesting, all plant debris should be carefully removed and it is advisable to replace the contaminated soil with healthy soil.
Chlorosis
Zucchini also begins to turn yellow when they are affected by chlorosis, which occurs if the soil in the beds is not loosened. In this case, not enough air reaches the root system of the plants, as a result of which they seem to suffocate. As a result, the bushes become weaker and the leaves begin to turn yellow.
How to avoid yellowing of zucchini
To grow healthy zucchini, you need to follow the basic rules for caring for them. So, when planting seeds or planting seedlings in the ground, you should remember that adult bushes need a lot of space for full development, so plantings should not be thickened. You also need to regularly weed out weeds in the beds, since they also thicken the plantings and are also breeding grounds for pests and diseases.
07/12/2013:: 01:15 Larisa
Rotting of young ovaries
The most common occurrence in zucchini is rotting of young ovaries. This is a bacterial rot that attacks small squash fruits. Rotten ovaries should simply be torn off without sparing them, but not abandoned on the site, but preferably destroyed.
And then spray the zucchini with copper oxychloride. The first reason may be the planting site. It is not advisable to plant zucchini in the same bed every year. They also cannot be planted after cucumbers, melons, watermelons and pumpkins.
Zucchini is generally not a capricious plant, but it does not like the proximity of its relatives. The second reason is waterlogging of the soil. If the weather is rainy, there is nowhere to go. But you can fight this too.
The bush can be ventilated by tearing off the lower leaves. It is necessary to ensure that the flowers and ovaries are exposed to the sun.
You can also place something under the fruit, such as straw or cuttings of boards, so that the zucchini does not touch the ground. Zucchini is watered less often than cucumbers, but more water is poured so that the ground gets wet to a depth of 30-40 cm. You need to pour water at the root and try so that water does not get on the leaves.
It is better to water once a week, but a lot, and do not forget to loosen the soil. The third reason is watering with cold water. Massive rotting, and even a halt in plant growth, may occur. If you follow these simple rules, then the next ovaries should be healthy, without rot.
Timely harvesting of ripened zucchini has a great influence on increasing the yield. That is, the more often you collect, the more new ovaries are formed. This has been verified.
Curling and yellowing of leaves
If the zucchini leaves turn yellow and curl, then the first thing you want to do is water. But there is no need to do this, because the reason is different.
And there may be several of them. From personal experience I can say that zucchini leaves often curl due to the heat (just very dry air). Monitor your plants in both rainy and hot weather.
They will give you the answers. One of the other possible causes of leaf curl is lack of nutrition. The plant needs to be fed (but even if the plant is not sick, it still needs to be fed once a season). I feed "Kemera Lux".
You can add ash and humus. But the leaves can turn yellow from a lack of nitrogen. Then you can use manure, but I don’t like it - it produces a lot of weeds. It is better to feed with urea (nitrogen). It is especially unpleasant when spider mites appear.
First, light dots (pricks) appear on the leaves, clearly visible on the upper side, and then spots form. Later the leaves turn yellow and fall off. Then flowers, ovaries and fruits may fall off.
The plant dies. Control measures: destruction of weeds, deep autumn digging of the earth, burning of plant residues and garbage. And at the first signs of the disease and then after 10-12 days, spray diseased plants with: Topaz, Topsin-m, Sulfarid, Bayleton, 3.5% copper sulfate solution. You can spray with garlic infusion, chamomile decoction or ash solution (1 kg of ash stir in 10 liters of water).
Leave the solution for 7 days, stirring occasionally. Before spraying the plants, add soap to help the solution stick to the leaves better.
Results
These simple methods will help you avoid many problems when growing such a healthy and dietary product. I will be glad if my advice is useful to you. Sincerely, summer resident and gardener Larisa.
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Zucchini and eggplant, as well as squash, belong to the pumpkin family. They are extremely useful and are widely used for preparing various dishes and preserves. In the southern regions, pumpkin plants are planted with seeds in greenhouses and then transferred to open ground. In more severe conditions, it is advisable to grow seedlings at home and then replant full-fledged plants. Our article is devoted to the correct planting of pumpkin seedlings. Selection and preparation of seeds for seedlingsYou can prepare the seeds of zucchini, eggplant and pumpkin yourself or purchase the variety you like in the store. It is important to pay attention to the shelf life, because for pumpkins and zucchini it is on average 6 years, and for eggplants it is 3-4 years. This is subject to proper storage in a dry and well-ventilated place. For germination, it is worth selecting the largest seeds; the probability of obtaining a rich pumpkin harvest is higher. To avoid contamination of planting material, it should be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. You can also soak the grains in water or a growth stimulant (for example, Epine). This way they will germinate faster. Treatment lasts 12 hours. Preparing soil for seedlings of eggplants, zucchini, pumpkinsFor seedlings of zucchini, eggplant and pumpkin, the best soil mixture is: humus, turf and peat in a ratio of 2:1:1. As a fertilizer, you can add diluted mullein or wood ash. You can use plastic cups (don’t forget to disinfect them first) or peat pots as containers. Size 10x10 or 15x15. The boxes are filled with earth. Remember to water the substrate generously and plant only in moist soil. How to plant seedlingsSeeds are planted at a depth of 1.5 - 2 cm, one per cup. Boxes with future seedlings are covered with film and kept at a temperature of 23-25° until the first shoots appear. As soon as you notice them, you can remove the film and move the zucchini and eggplants to a cooler place (15-20° during the day, 12-14° at night). If the temperature regime is not observed, the seedlings may become excessively elongated. Do not water the seedlings too much, do it as needed and constantly monitor the soil moisture. We offer a detailed video that reflects all stages of growing seedlings at home: Advice: if you want pumpkin crops to successfully take root in open ground, then 2 weeks before planting, start hardening them - take them out to the balcony, gradually increasing the time they stay there. For seedlings to grow, they need 20-25 days (you should start germinating from seeds in early April). Full-fledged plants (with a stocky stem and 3 leaves) are planted in open ground in the first half of May. You may also be interested in the following articles: |
The pepper seedlings turned yellow. Why do peppers turn yellow? What to do?
Barsko 2 years ago Naya 2 years ago
If the pepper seedlings turn yellow, it means it is missing something. For example, nutrients. If the upper leaves turn yellow, then there is a lack of iron, manganese, boron and zinc; if the lower leaves turn yellow, there is a lack of phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, magnesium.
In this case, it is necessary to fertilize the plant with a complex with the addition of microelements. Also, the leaves may turn yellow due to improper or excessive watering. Water the peppers only with warm water. It is recommended to hide from direct sunlight and ventilate periodically.
Most likely, this is due to waterlogging of the soil. If the seedlings have dried out and turned yellow, then it is due to insufficient watering, this especially often happens when growing seedlings in peat pots, the walls of which dry out quickly, and the plant needs more watering.
We plant zucchini in a “snail”.
Watering seedlings of any plant should be moderate. There is still a chance to save the pepper. If it dries out, water it well overnight. If it has not dried out but turned yellow, stop watering for several days and place it in a sunny place.
You can even place it under a special lamp, although this is not necessary, this is how my pepper grows, on the sunniest windowsill.
Comment
Zucchini is grown by direct sowing in the ground or through seedlings. In both cases, an important factor is the pre-sowing preparation of seeds. Against fungal diseases, the seeds are kept for 4-6 hours in water at a temperature of +48+50°C. Then immediately place in cold water for 1-2 minutes.
It is even better to use Fitosporin-M or a mixture of Alirin-B and Gamair for seed dressing (1 tablet per 1 liter of water). The duration of any of these treatments is 8-18 hours at room temperature. For lovers of traditional methods, we can recommend aloe or Kalanchoe juice (1:1) for seed dressing.
Soak the seeds for 30-40 minutes, then rinse well with water. Seeds purchased from hand or from your own production must be pickled. If the seeds were purchased in a store and the package indicates that they have undergone pre-sowing preparation, then the seeds should not be treated or heated to avoid deterioration in germination or its complete loss. Such seeds are usually colored. To speed up seed germination, you can use any of the following techniques:
- Before sowing, soaking seeds in water at a temperature of +25°C for 24 hours. Germination until pricking in a damp cloth (the appearance of sprouts 5-6 mm in size). Hardening of soaked but not germinated seeds by exposing them to variable temperatures for 3-4 days. Seeds soaked the day before are placed in a damp cloth in a refrigerator with a temperature from 0°C to -1°C for 14-16 hours. Then during the day they are kept at a temperature of +18+20°C for 6-8 hours, etc. Barbation of seeds. Soaking before sowing in solutions: microelements, Epin, Zircon (from 8 hours to 24 hours, especially with low seed germination), potassium humate, wood ash (1 level tablespoon per 1 liter of water), complete complex fertilizer, aloe or Kalanchoe juice (1:9 ).
Seed hardening is mainly effective when sowing seeds in open ground. Plant resistance to cold increases, and seeds germinate better.
When growing seedlings at home, this characteristic is lost over time, and the grown seedlings require mandatory gradual hardening in the open air a week before planting (i.e., in the conditions where they will grow in the future). Sometimes during germination in a damp cloth the seeds begin to rot. To prevent this, I place the prepared seeds on a tray with cotton pads or a cloth and sprinkle a little soil on top .
I moisten everything and put it in a warm (+28+30°C) place until biting. I periodically check the humidity and add water. The soil should be wet, but the seeds should not “float in the mush.”
If necessary, cover the tray with film with cut holes. Germinated seeds are noticeable by raised tubercles. I carefully select them and sow them in pots for seedlings.
| Zucchini seeds for germinationZucchini seeds for germinationZucchini seeds for germination |
In the non-chernozem zone, to obtain early production, seeds for seedlings for warm beds with film cover begin to be sown in the 20th of April. Seedlings are planted on May 20-25. For open ground, seeds are sown for seedlings on May 5-10.
Seedlings are planted in the ground on June 5-10 after the threat of return frosts has passed. For seedless cultivation, sowing seeds on warm ridges with film cover is May 20-25, in open ground - June 5-10.
Compositions of mixtures for sowing seeds
- 50-60% peat, 30-40% humus, 10-20% turf soil and 10% semi-rotted sawdust. If necessary, you can add a little river sand. Add 3-6 g of ammonium nitrate, 8-15 g of superphosphate and 5-10 g of potassium fertilizer to a bucket of the mixture.
- Turf soil with compost or humus in a 1:1 ratio. For 10 liters of mixture add 1 glass of ash, 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium fertilizer and a little sand.
- Peat with sand in a 1:1 ratio.
For those who find it difficult to make soil mixtures themselves, you can buy universal ready-made soil for vegetable seedlings. Specialized soils for growing pumpkin crops are also available for sale.
More complete information on how to choose the best quality purchased soil or prepare it yourself can be found in the articles Sow me with love And Soils and substrates for growing seedlings. To obtain early production, zucchini is grown through seedlings. Here, as when growing any other vegetable crop, the main thing is quality.
It doesn’t matter what age you can grow seedlings - two weeks old or 30 days old. It is important that it is healthy, strong and hardened by the time of disembarkation.
Seedlings can be grown on a windowsill, glassed-in balcony or loggia, greenhouse or greenhouse. Depending on the age of the finished seedlings, containers for planting seeds are selected. These can be peat or plastic pots, 0.5 liter juice bags, homemade cups from newspaper, etc.
Zucchini does not tolerate transplantation well, so it is better to sow the seeds immediately in separate containers. For two-week-old seedlings, 8 cm cups are suitable, for 20-day-old - 12 cm, and for 30-day-old - 15 cm. Seeds are sown to a depth of 3-4 cm and lightly watered for better contact with the soil.
Before germination, the crops are kept at a temperature of +25+28°C. As soon as the shoots appear, the pots are transferred to a bright place with a temperature of +13+14°C at night and +16+17°C during the day. This temperature is maintained for 3-4 days so that the seedlings become stronger and do not stretch out.
Picking up the zucchini. From "snail" to "diaper".
Then, throughout the entire growing period, the temperature is maintained during the day in cloudy weather - +20+22°C, in sunny weather - +25+28°C, at night - +16+18°C. If the seeds are sown without being sown, then take them with a reserve and sow them in one pot 2-3 seeds each. In the future, only one best strong seedling is left, which appeared first and has a normal healthy appearance.
The rest are deleted. Water the zucchini seedlings regularly as the top layer of soil dries slightly. Under no circumstances should you overwater or delay watering, as due to a sharp pressure drop in the stems they may crack lengthwise.
This is fraught with the development of root and stem rot. Irrigation water temperature +22+25°C.
Feeding seedlings
During the growing of seedlings, they are fed several times.
- If the seedling mixture was prepared with the addition of humus, compost and mineral fertilizers, then the first fertilizing is carried out two weeks after germination, the second - 7-10 days after the first. If the seedling mixture was prepared without adding compost, humus and mineral fertilizers, then the first fertilizing is carried out 7 days after germination, the second - 7-10 days after the first. And if necessary, you can carry out a third feeding (when growing 30-day-old seedlings) 2-3 days before planting.
Fertilizing can be done with one of the following solutions (consumption of 100 ml per plant in the first feeding and 200 ml per plant in the second and third feeding).
Zucchini is very loved by the residents of our country. This product is used in many dishes and helps throughout the year. However, during cultivation, many gardeners are faced with one common problem that can greatly harm the crop - a change in the color of the leaves to yellow. In this case, it is necessary to immediately begin to correct the situation.
Causes
When zucchini leaves turn yellow, this indicates that something is wrong with the plant. Ideally, the leaves should be bright green, rich in color, quite large and strong. This appearance is a guarantee that the ovaries will soon appear, and then the fruits. If the color suddenly begins to turn yellow, which, by the way, can happen even at the seedling stage, it is important to immediately determine the cause of this phenomenon. We should start with the fact that vegetables do not tolerate drops in ambient temperature very well. Therefore, any cold snap leads to the fact that the plant begins to weaken and the foliage begins to turn yellow. Based on this, we can conclude that the appearance of zucchini in open ground should occur no earlier than summer. If we are talking about a greenhouse, then planting can be done in early May.
Yellowness may be the result of improper garden planning. Zucchini loves well-lit areas, but if it stays in the sun for too long, the leaves immediately dry out and turn yellow. Therefore, the crop can only be planted in a garden bed that will be exposed to direct sunlight for no more than four or five hours (with at least twelve hours of daylight). Additionally, you can construct a canopy that will prevent the plant from burning, and expose it at noon. The leaves may turn yellow if the plantings are too dense. If the seedlings were initially planted without observing the required intervals, then the growing bushes will not have enough air and space. This is especially true for the lower leaves, which have problems with ventilation. As a result, the foliage will turn yellow, and then, if it is not removed, it will also rot.
Improper watering
An ill-conceived watering system also contributes to yellowing foliage. This happens because the plantings are irrigated during the afternoon, that is, at the most inopportune time. The combination of moisture from watering and bright sunlight causes thermal burns and spots on the squash leaves. That is why watering the crop can only be done in the morning or evening.
The water should be settled and at a comfortable temperature. It is important to prevent liquid from getting on the green parts of the plant and inflorescences, and that the bushes are not flooded with water. It should be borne in mind that sometimes the leaves begin to dry out due to the small amount of moisture in the soil. Therefore, you need to water regularly, and the need for liquid is determined by the condition of the top layer of soil. It is very important that there are no cracks on the surface or stagnation of moisture. Improper “relationships with water” can also lead to yellowing of the fruits themselves. Excessive moisture causes zucchini to rot and then change color. Therefore, during this care procedure, it is important to control the filling of the top layer with liquid in order to avoid excessive moisture.
By the way, fruits can also turn yellow if they were picked at the wrong time. If they have been left in the garden for too long, their density will deteriorate, and the traditional shade will change to pale yellow. Such fruits quickly lose their juiciness, their skin becomes coarser, and the seeds become excessively large.
Diseases and pests
Of course, a sudden change in shade can also signal emerging diseases. First of all, it is downy mildew. This fungus develops rapidly and affects not only zucchini, but also tomatoes and other vegetables. It can be determined by the condition of the leaves - oily spots of a light yellow hue are found on the inside and then on the outside. At first they are small and then quickly increase in size. The leaf itself dries up at this time. Typically, the disease develops when there is an abundance of rainfall on crops that are not properly cared for. If measures are not taken in time, all plantings will be destroyed. In case of powdery mildew, all infected bushes must be removed immediately and the soil must be dug up every autumn.
Anthracnose is also possible, most often when grown in a greenhouse. At first, vaguely shaped spots appear on the leaves, which then become dirty yellow, as if the bush was burned by the sun's rays. After this, the leaves dry out, and the disease reaches the zucchini itself. They also turn yellow and then the process of rotting begins. The crop also begins to change color when it is affected by chlorosis, which is a consequence of the lack of sufficient loosening of the soil. Air does not reach the root system, the entire plant weakens, and the leaves acquire a yellow tint.
Among the pests, this crop is most often attacked by spider mites. A thin cobweb appears on the underside of the leaves, and the pest itself takes up residence in it. After this, the leaf becomes stained, turns yellow and finally falls off.
Nutritional deficiencies
Another common cause of yellowing foliage is considered to be insufficient addition of useful elements to the soil. First, the lower leaves turn yellow, and then the problem spreads throughout the entire bush. Moreover, the leaf changes color first at the edges, and then it becomes deformed and falls off. This situation occurs when there is a lack of nitrogen or moisture in the soil, as a result of which the transport of useful elements becomes difficult and the chlorophyll content decreases. Everything leads to the fact that the sun burns the foliage, which turns yellow and then dries out. In this case, you need to apply nitrogen fertilizers, sold in special stores.
In addition, it is important to normalize the condition of the soil - zucchini cannot grow in overly acidic soil. The leaves will quickly turn yellow, and the bushes themselves will wither. This issue will have to be resolved before the stage of planting seedlings - it will be necessary to add lime, as well as humus and ash. In general, the soil for zucchini should be nutritious. A suitable mixture can be purchased at the store or combined with your own hands from peat, river sand and turf. All ingredients must be taken in equal proportions and mixed. It is recommended to regularly feed the sprouts with mineral fertilizers.
What can be processed?
If the cause of the yellow color is powdery mildew, then you need to do the following: spray the bushes several times with copper oxychloride and Bordeaux mixture. In addition, at the stage of still preparing the seeds, they should be soaked in warm water for prevention. Don't forget about regular ventilation. You can save zucchini from yellowing due to anthracnose by removing damaged bushes and spraying them with Bordeaux mixture or colloidal sulfur. Don’t forget about prevention – eliminating residues in the soil and treating the greenhouse.
Spider mites can be controlled in several ways. First, 200 grams of laundry soap are grated. They are mixed with a kilogram of wood ash and diluted in 10 liters of water. Treatment with this solution is carried out every two days until the pest completely disappears. Secondly, you can use potato tops if they have not been affected by late blight. The greens are cut into small pieces and filled with water, completely covering the green mass. You will have to insist for a week or 10 days, and the lid must be closed. This product can be used every day. Thirdly, pharmaceutical chamomile and a few other ingredients will come to the rescue. A kilogram of wood ash and four heads of garlic are poured into 10 liters of chamomile decoction, the preparation of which requires 200 grams of dry powder.
This solution is infused for a week; it will have to be stirred regularly. Then you will have to process the zucchini three times, which should fit within a week's period. It is believed that this method is the most effective.
In the case when the leaves turn yellow while still growing, you should check whether the entire leaf blade is damaged. If yes, then the sprout will have to be thrown out, but if not, then the situation can still be corrected. In young zucchini, this problem usually appears due to a lack of nitrogen in the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to buy fertile soil and periodically apply fertilizers. Feeding should begin about two weeks after the sprouts appear. Don’t forget about regularly spraying the soil with a spray bottle. Sometimes even transplanting into a container with a larger diameter can solve the problem.
It is important to monitor the amount of watering to prevent excessive moisture. After prolonged rains, it would be good to inspect the plant for any unpleasant consequences. Pests can be repelled by periodically spraying the plantings with herbal infusions, which include chamomile, potato tops and nettle. It is useful to treat zucchini with solutions of copper sulfate, boric acid, urea with the addition of potassium permanganate.
As soon as, closer to autumn, all the leaves begin to change color and dry out, this may indicate that it is time to harvest. The procedure should end with tidying up the tops on the site.
Yellowed leaves must be removed immediately - removed from the bushes and even burned. This greenery cannot be used for compost or other needs, and it is better not to leave it in the garden. When the damaged parts are eliminated, you can begin processing the bushes. The product itself is prepared immediately before the procedure. It is better to spray in the morning, before the bright sun appears in the sky, and on days when the wind is not too strong. If damaged young shoots and mature bushes are grown in the same greenhouse, then all plants need to be treated at the same time.
For information on what to do if zucchini begins to turn yellow and rot, see the following video.
Some experienced gardeners grow zucchini using the seedling method. It is at this stage that visible problems may appear in this unpretentious culture. Young sprouts require additional nutrition to ensure optimal growth. When the plants are still small, many gardeners are concerned about any deviations observed in fragile shoots. What is the reason for these changes in zucchini leaves? How to deal with this? This is worth looking into in more detail.
Yellowing of leaves may be the first sign of mosaic disease
The main causes of yellowing of zucchini leaves
There are situations when zucchini leaves turn yellow even at the seedling stage or begin to change this way when planted in the ground. The surface of the leaves turns yellow for the following reasons:
These are the most common reasons why unpleasant yellow spots appear on young leaves. There are situations when the leaves of seedlings turn yellow due to the fact that there is not enough space in the pot. An ordinary plant transplant can solve this problem.
How to deal with it
Regarding powdery mildew, the risk of infection appears during damp and rainy weather, when weakened sprouts are most vulnerable. If you do not respond to the problem in time and do not treat the sprouts, there is a risk of losing the seedlings without the possibility of recovery.
To prevent this disease, you need to do the following: soak the seeds in warm water, and then periodically ventilate the fresh plantings.
You should not allow the soil to become too waterlogged, so as not to provoke the appearance of spots on the leaves. This is one of the reasons why this happens. If signs of this dangerous disease appear, you should immediately spray the leaves with a solution of copper oxychloride. A solution of colloidal sulfur will help save the situation; it is taken at the rate of 30 g per 10 liters.
A bush infected with spider mites
The harmful spider mite is sprayed with ash with the addition of soap or potato tops. Another proven folk remedy to combat this scourge is an infusion of garlic, chamomile and 1 kg of ash. All this must be infused for 7 days, then sprayed on the plant. Garlic is very useful in that it can effectively repel various pests, which is why it is planted next to many crops. An infusion of onion peels can also save the plant from this harmful scourge.
Reanimate damaged zucchini from a lack of important nutrients using organic fertilizer, ash or nitrogen-based fertilizer.
To avoid overfeeding plants, use a special complex fertilizer “Ovary”. It will be useful to support the plant with urea, copper sulfate, and ordinary boric acid. All these substances, 1 tsp. dissolve in a bucket of water. It is advisable to add a little of the usual potassium permanganate to this solution to prevent the further appearance of harmful bacteria.
When cultivating seedlings, do not forget about high-quality soil and regular feeding of young plants. In this way, viable seedlings are obtained that do not have problems with leaves on future shoots. Do not forget about regular moistening of the earth's coma. For this purpose, use a special room sprayer or similar devices. When caring for seedlings, yellowing of the small leaves of the cotyledons indicates a lack of sunlight; this problem can be easily solved: all you need to do is move the pot to another place.
Zucchini does not tolerate too acidic soils, but they respond very well to organic matter.
Before planting seedlings in a hole, it is advisable to add a decent amount of humus or ready-made compost. As the crop grows and develops in the holes, do not forget about the necessary loosening of the soil, watering and weeding before the vines grow too much. It is very important that water does not fall on unprotected leaves, this can also cause them to turn yellow. It is important to maintain the optimal watering regime and not to overwater the plant, as this will lead to its damage. When watering with cold water that has not been left in the sun, massive rotting of the vines also occurs.
You should leave 1-2 plants in one hole
Timely collection of ripened fruits on zucchini will actively stimulate the formation of new and new ovaries.
Do not be alarmed if the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry at the end of the ripening season, this is aging of the vines, nothing can be done about it. Any weaving crop sooner or later turns yellow, grows old and dries out. This is absolutely normal.
Optimal distance between bushes
Zucchini is an unpretentious crop, loved by many for its excellent yields and minimal care. By following these simple rules, it is possible to grow a healthy, resilient crop that is not afraid of any pests or diseases. And the grateful crop will delight its owner all summer with a decent harvest - tasty and healthy zucchini with amazing taste.
It is difficult to find a less capricious and demanding vegetable crop than zucchini. Many gardeners say that they simply forget about them after planting, water them once a week, and then remember only to pick the fruits. But sometimes even zucchini can disturb their owners. Their leaves, ovaries and fruits may turn yellow, dry out or even rot. Why do zucchini rot? Why does this happen, and what to do to avoid such problems in order to get a good harvest without much hassle?
Vegetable growers often say that for some reason the leaves of zucchini turn yellow, sometimes even rot; they worry that this is what leads to the ovaries falling off and, what is even more unpleasant, to the rotting of the fruits. This does not always indicate illness, but it is certainly necessary to respond. In every plant, even an annual one whose growing season lasts only a few months, the first leaves have time to age. So the first leaves of zucchini grow large, and then the time comes when they just lie on the bed, touching the ground. They turn slightly yellow and dry out from old age, and the fact that they touch wet soil, of course, does not make them stronger.
From the beginning of growth, the plant consumes a lot of nitrogen, which is needed to grow green mass; with sufficient quantity and proper, abundant watering, large, strong leaves grow. But over time, when flowering begins, and then the formation of fruits, the plant’s forces are redistributed, more nutrition goes to its new parts than to the old ones. This is how old leaves begin to turn yellow. They need to be removed - carefully cut with a sharp knife right at the stem. This will unload and thin out the bush; there must be air movement inside it; the ground underneath also needs fresh air and sunlight, otherwise excess moisture will not evaporate.
If such leaves are not removed, they lie on the ground; there are pathogenic microorganisms and fungal spores in the soil, which will certainly use this “bridge” between the soil and the plant to begin to act. This should not be allowed. Old leaves should be cut off in the morning of a sunny day as close to the stem as possible so that the sun dries the cut and it does not become a source of infection. Some owners treat the cuts with disinfectants; you can simply make a weak solution of potassium permanganate or brilliant green.
Sometimes yellowing of the leaves indicates a lack of nutrients in the soil, then the plants should be urgently fed. During the period of intensive growth before flowering, the plant requires a lot of nitrogen, and later it needs more potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. A highly diluted infusion of mullein or chicken droppings, complex mineral fertilizers, urea and ash are perfect. If the plant simply does not have enough moisture, you need to reconsider the watering regime.
Unlike cucumbers, which need to be watered little and often, zucchini needs a lot of water, but rarely. Once a week is enough for them, but so that the ground gets wet to a depth of 30–40 cm. You need to water the zucchini with warm water so that it does not get on the leaves. It is best to organize a shallow circle around the plant and pour water into it, and then cover it with loose soil, compost or humus.
If depressed spots appear on the leaves, if they do not lighten from green to yellow and then dry out, but become dark or covered with a thin coating, there is reason to worry. Such signs may indicate fungal or bacterial diseases. This could be powdery mildew, spider mites, bacteriosis. In this case, you need to remove (cut off) all the affected parts - leaves, flowers, ovaries, and treat the remaining plant with special preparations. You can use Topaz, Ridomil or others.
If the owners prefer to do without chemicals, you can prepare infusions of garlic, onion peels, celandine, tomato shoots or potato tops. Lactic acid helps well against fungal diseases, so plants can be sprayed with diluted whey.
Video “What to do if zucchini starts to turn yellow?”
Demonstrative video with examples of what diseased fruits look like, as well as tips for eliminating the problem.
Causes of decay and methods of control
If the ovaries and small fruits of zucchini rot, this may indicate excess moisture or the plants are suffering from low temperatures. When growing zucchini in open ground, the weather can cause unpleasant moments in the form of cold rain for several days. This is very bad, but you can try installing a canopy over the zucchini or simply placing umbrellas. Then, when the rain stops, you will need to loosen the soil so that it dries out quickly, remove the lower leaves that prevent the sun from penetrating the soil. In a greenhouse, of course, it is easier to arrange for zucchini the required heat and humidity conditions, in which they feel comfortable growing and bearing fruit. Under the fruits that lie on the ground, you should place a dry, hard material that will prevent tender young zucchini from touching the wet ground; this can be tree bark, scraps of boards, plastic, or non-woven fabric.
Ovaries and fruits may suffer from pests or diseases, then their decay is a consequence of infection by bacteria, viruses or fungi. The larvae of some insects, fungal spores, and bacteria that attack related crops accumulate in the soil. Excessive humidity, temperature changes, and watering with cold water can become a trigger for the onset of diseases. This is why it is so important to follow the rules of crop rotation and the basic requirements for caring for zucchini.
You cannot plant zucchini for at least several years in a garden bed where pumpkins, cucumbers or squash used to grow. Good predecessors for them are tomatoes, onions, garlic, and grains. A lack of iodine or boron in the soil can also cause the ovaries to rot. If in your area there is a lack of iodine in people, then plants also lack it. At least once a season, you can spray the soil with a solution (0.002%) of iodine. Boric acid is diluted in a proportion of 2 g per 10 liters of water and sprayed on plants.
If young zucchini begins to rot from the stem, bacterial rot may be the cause. If, in addition to rot on the fruit, a white powdery coating is found on the leaves, it means that the plant is affected by fungal diseases. In any case, as soon as such signs are noticed, it is necessary to immediately remove all affected parts of the plant (it is better to destroy, not just remove), reduce watering, thin out the bush, and treat the entire plant with an appropriate product. In all these cases, treatment with copper oxychloride will help.
You need to prepare a solution of 1 tablespoon of 50 percent copper oxychloride (or take the same amount of polycarbacin) in 10 liters of water. You can use special preparations “Zaslon”, “Barrier”, just read the instructions very carefully, pay attention to the timing of application and the timing of fruit ripening. Traditional methods of fighting diseases also work well. A decoction of ash, garlic, and chamomile is mixed with laundry soap and the plants are treated with this preparation, paying attention to the underside of the leaves. It must be said that harmful microorganisms are always present in the soil in greater or lesser quantities, but plants do not always suffer from them. To prevent zucchini from getting sick, in order to get a good harvest without any hassle, you need to monitor the temperature and amount of water, regularity of watering, prevent the plantings from becoming too dense, and thin out the bushes in time so that all parts of the plant are accessible to fresh air and sunlight.
Video “Secrets that will help you grow healthy and fertile zucchini”
Informational video with useful tips for growing zucchini.
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