Runde von Nizza / (Tondo chiaro) di Nizza

Season Overview

Description

Develops many round, light green, tender fruits with whitish flesh, which can be harvested already orange-size (from about 10 cm ø) and are ideal for filling. Grows bushy at first, can later tendril, likes it warm, moist and nutritious. The young tender fruits taste best (also raw in salad). When fully grown, the spheres grow up to 30 cm, get a richer green and are then more suitable for soups. The flowers are also edible (e.g. filled).

Growing tips

Zucchini seeds are best to preplant in pots at the end of April. Germinate at temperatures of 18-25°C within one week. Harden off before planting. Plant in mid-May in a well-fertilized bed or compost. Some seed manufacturers mention that at least two plants should be grown for pollination and fruit set. Protect from slugs at the young plant stage. Cut the fruits with a stalk about 5cm long for better shelf life. By regularly harvesting the young fruits, new fruits will keep growing until autumn. The flowers can be harvested especially from Sptember when the fruits are no longer ripe. Caution: Self-grown seeds are strongly discouraged for zucchini because the toxic bitter substance cucurbitacin can form. Mixed cultivation with borage promotes pollination. Pumpkins and zucchinis of the same species can interbreed, zucchini can become bitter and inedible or poisonous (due to so-called curcurbitacins). Recommended break in cultivation: 4 years.

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Very humid

Soil

Light (sandy)

Nutrient requirement

High

Seeding distance

100 cm

Row spacing

100 cm

Seeding depth

2 cm