How to Prune Zucchini and 4 More Tips to grow GREAT Zucchini
Zucchini is one of my favorites but unfortunately, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. It can be frustrating to put so much time and effort into a crop only to lose it to powdery mildew or the squash vine borer.
In this post I’ll explain exactly how to prune zucchini plants PLUS 4 more tasks that we need to do to ensure a successful zucchini growing season.
OK. Le't’s get right into this.
Tip #1 - Prune Zucchini Plants
It’s important to prune zucchini for the health of the plant. When we prune zucchini plants, it opens up the plant to allow for increased airflow which in turn, reduces our chances of getting powdery mildew. In addition to that, getting in there and pruning the plant is the best way to inspect your plant for evidence of the squash vine borer - more on that in tip #3. Follow these simple pruning tasks to ensure your pruning is effective and helping the plant rather than hurting it.
Pruning Task #1 - Start with the correct tools, wear gloves and cut away the branches close to the main branch
When you prune zucchini, don’t pull or rip your zucchini leaves from the plant. Use a pair of of clippers or scissors to prune zucchini and cut as close to the main stem as you can. The portion of the branch that you don’t cut off is going to rot away and you do not want a six inch hollow zucchini branch rotting away and inviting insects in to have a lunch and a nap.
And while we are here, I need to mention that it’s a good idea to wear gloves and a long sleeve shirt when you prune zucchini plants. There are spines on squash plants that we prune and although they aren’t going to kill us, it’s really not pleasant to have the skin pierced with these spines every time we reach in to prune off a branch. And besides, we want to get as close to the main stem as we can when we prune zucchini and wearing gloves and long sleeves ensures there will no trepidation of getting in there deep to get close to that main stem.
Pruning Task #2 - Start with leaves below the fruit and leaves that are in contact with the ground
Leaves that are below your first fruit can be pruned off as well as those leaves that are in contact with your soil or mulch. Those leaves in contact with your soil are going to rot away anyway. They will invite insects in as they weaken and they aren’t doing anything to help you grow the fruits you love so much anyway. Remember to snip them close to the main stem.
Pruning Task #3 - Look for leaves that are beginning to turn brown at the outer edges
As your zucchini leaves do their job and collect sunlight, they will eventually reach the end of their lifespan and die on their own. Look for leaves that are starting to turn brown at the edges and prune those branches off. Your plant will have plenty of leaves left on it to continue to collect sunlight and feed your zucchini.
Pruning Task #4 - Look for leaves that are shading each other out or are shading out other plants around them
Leaves that are shading one another out aren’t doing anything for your plant. Feel free to prune off that lower branch as it’s not going to be collecting sunlight anyway. And if, like me, you grow multiple types of vegetables in each raised garden bed, feel free to cut off those zucchini leaves that are shading out your other plants. As long as you are growing vegetables in the bed from “small to tall”, you will still have plenty of leaves left to feed your zucchini.
Tip #2 - Don’t Worry About “Blossom End Rot” - There Is Nothing Wrong With Your Soil!
Don’t worry about “Blossom End Rot”. You are going to find small fruits that rot at the end, and fall off the main stem. This is normal. Do not google this and believe you have blossom end rot caused by a calcium deficiency, or an inability of the plant to take up calcium, and then spend money on calcium sprays or something else you see online to fix a problem that probably doesn’t exist. Just make sure that you are pruning your zucchini plants and that you’re ensuring a consistent soil moisture and nature will take care of the rest.
This is not a problem! Just a zucchini that didn’t get germinated.
It’s not possible that all of our squash flowers will get germinated. It’s why the plant has so many. Some will be germinated and grow fruit to maturity. Others will not be germinated and will rot away and fall off and that’s normal. DON’T worry about it. Only if every single one of your fruits is rotting off should you even consider that you really have an issue and spend money on something to fix it. And even then, most likely, the issue is uneven watering and your best investment would be installing a soaker hose.
TIP #3 - Use Bt Once Every 10 Days
Who wants to prevent the vine borer moth’s larvae from destroying our zucchini and squash crop? Yeah, pretty much everyone .
“Bacillus thuringiensis, often abbreviated as Bt, is a naturally-occurring bacteria that makes pests sick when they eat it. ... Bt is therefore one of the safest natural pesticides you can use in terms of controlling caterpillar pests of vegetables or fruits without harming beneficial insects.”
The BT I use and recommend is from Home Depot. It is almost half the price ($20 for 1 quart vs $16 for 1 pint) of similar product on amazon. In addition to that, Home Depot will also ship it to your home for free.
Click the picture for product link.
Bt has worked great for me. I apply it every 10 days to the top and the bottom of the leaves, on the branches and over the main stem of my zucchini plants. I also use it on the leaves of my tomato plants to protect them from the hornworm caterpillars that plague us here where i live. It works great!.
I use a 1-gallon pump sprayer to apply this and I highly recommend both the product and the method of application. Using a pump sprayer like mine below from Home Depot makes this a very easy task.
Click the Picture for Product Link
Pro Tip: Your pump sprayer has seals that can easily become damaged from excess heat or cold. Don’t leave your sprayer outside in full sun or to endure severe temperature swings.
Tip #4 - Consider Buying Hybrid Seeds with Resistance to Powdery Mildew
I know, I know, I love heirloom seeds too. But the truth is, powdery mildew is difficult to control and prevent. Consider purchasing hybrid seeds that are bred for intermediate resistance to powdery mildew and we have won half the battle before we even get started!
This is the zucchini that i’ve grown the last few years and I love them.
Click the picture for product link
Tip #5 - 10 Minutes A Day Keeps the Bad Guys Away
This is the best advise I can give for our gardens and our souls.
Set aside 10 minutes every day that you will go to your garden and look at all your plants. Set the alarm on your phone and treat it like a doctors appointment. It’s non negotiable. Put your phone on airplane mode so you won’t be disturbed. And more importantly, so you want go down the rabbit hole of searching for something on google that you are seeing in your garden and waste those precious 10 minutes looking at your phone. Just observe and take notes of what you are seeing. You can digest it all later.
I do this and it pays off. Both for my sanity and the health of my plants. This year alone, I’ve caught Japanese Flea beetles early enough to just pick them off rather than having to result to a harsh chemical to save my eggplants and cucumbers.
Conclusion
All of the times above are important for the health of your zucchini. Use them all in your garden and I wish you great success with your zucchini and everything you grow this year. Finally, before we end the Blog, just one more point about Tip #5 because it is the best advice I can give.
Remember, this is YOUR 10 minutes. Use it to check on your plants and take pictures with your phone of anything you want to research later. Use the time to pick any fruits that are ready for harvest, make notes in the Notes APP on your phone to remind yourself of jobs to do later when there is ample time. Spending 10 minutes a day with your plants, and finding problems early, is sometimes just what the doctor ordered. For the Garden and the Soul.
