Zucchini Bushes

Planting

• Zucchini bushes grow quickly from seed. The seeds should be planted after the soil has warmed to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Bush-type zucchini should be planted 2 or 3 feet apart, with seeds placed a half-inch deep. Plant two to three seeds together in the soil to ensure germination. If more than one comes up, the smaller ones can be pinched away.

Watering

• Bush zucchini require a lot of water--at least an inch a week. They have long roots, however, and are good at accessing water. The soil should be kept constantly moist for seedlings. Water mature plants when the top inch of soil becomes dry. Less frequent deep watering is better than frequent shallow watering.

Problems

• Fairly hardy and not as disease-prone as many other plants, zucchini are susceptible to mildew, wilt, mosaic virus and and blight. Choose disease-resistant varieties and rotate crops regularly to avoid diseases. Common pests that damage zucchini plants include cucumber beetles, squash bugs, aphids and squash vine borer.

Harvesting

• Zucchini bushes can produce fruit rapidly. They are best harvested when the fruits are still small and tender, at about 6 inches long. Not only will the zucchini be more tender, but harvesting early encourages the plant to produce more fruit. Zucchini fruit can be cut from the plant with a sharp knife or twisted away by hand. Don't harvest zucchini if the plants are wet--such as after watering or a rain--because moisture increases the transmission of disease through the small wound left after harvest.