Potted zucchini

SQUASH & ZUCCHINI

With large leaves, fabulous fruit and bright yellow blooms, squash and zucchini make a great statement in a container on a patio or balcony. They also return a harvest as early as six weeks after planting seedlings, and are highly productive, given the right care.

The first consideration is pot size. These plants are vigorous and need plenty of space for their roots. Go for a 50cm pot or wider, preferably light in colour to keep roots cool. Place in a spot with 5–6 hours of sun a day and protection from wind, as gusty conditions seriously knock them about. Fill with a good quality potting mix that has fertiliser added.

Growing one plant is good, but two is better. It comes down to pollination. Each plant has both male and female flowers that open for just one day. Having a second plant increases the chance of male and female flowers being open for pollination on any given day. When bees are less active, pollinate plants by hand daily to guarantee fruit. Pick off a male flower (it has a long stalk), remove the petals and transfer the pollen to the receptor in the female flower (it has a mini fruit at the base).

Squash and zucchini grow easily from seed. Sow 2–3 seeds, and thin to one strong seedling per pot. Or buy seedlings to save a couple of weeks of growth. Poke your finger in the potting mix daily to see if the plants need water. It’s common for their leaves to droop in the midday sun, even when moist, but established plants can still dry out on a hot day after a morning soak. They are heavy feeders, so give them some liquid fertiliser every 7–10 days.

The vines will trail as they mature, but if you need to save ground space, train them up a trellis or insert a tomato cage for vertical support. Small fruit have the best flavour and texture. When harvesting, use a knife to carefully cut them from the plant.