Anyone growing Zucchini?

[Spatzbear]

Just wondering. I love zucchini and grow a lot. Somehow we always seem to be able to eat them all. Without stress. We don't even have to do a zucchini run - or leave bags of them in front of neighbours' doors in the middle of the night, etc.

My favourite would be Lebanese Zucchini, followed by Ronde de Nice (which is not very productive for me, unfortunately). Then Golden Zucchini - because it's pretty and reliable. A new one this year was Maltese Zucchini - which was very productive and delicious.

Sooo, pleeaaaase. Let me know. What are you growing? What are your favourites?

I only have a few more zucchinis to go, then it's the end of the season.

[Adenn1]

I first tried zucchini two years ago...tried to grow a nameless variety in a large container...got a few fruit...but it was hard for me to keep it watered properly. Then it died a quick death with some sort of disease.

Last year I wanted to try Costata Romanesco and Yellow Straightneck. The CR plant was huge and quickly grew into the yard. I really liked the taste of it...somewhat nutty. Another good attribute was that larger fruit were still tasty...some got to 18" and probably weighed 3-5 pounds. I discarded the seed membrane and filled them with ground meat and tomato sauce. The yellow staightneck was also good and productive.

I will only have space for one plant this year (trying some root crops for the first time)...so I am trying a variety called Nimba from Baker Creek. Reportedly a smaller plant and early fruit. Anxious to see how it works out.

I do stuggle with disease and I believe insects...something always seems to attack the stem of the plant at the base...then the plant slowly dies upward. Got some research to do.

[shelleybean]

We eat a lot more Golden Scallop than zucchini but I like Cocozelle. I'm just growing one plant this year. I like it fried and in ratatouille. It's also pretty raw because it has green stripes on the skin.

[feldon30]

Haha, when I saw the topic I figured the first line would be "How do I stop from growing so many?"

The joke being that the only time people lock their cars in small towns is when zucchini and squash are in season.

[shelleybean]

Or you can leave a pile of zucchini on your neighbor's front porch, ring the door bell and run away.

[spyfferoni]

I'm going to grow a golden for sure, and maybe another green variety. If I find seeds locally, I'll try a scallop type.

I have a friend who says her mother makes an amazing fake strawberry jam with zucchini. Anyone heard of that?
I like to sautee it with a little olive oil or butter and some seasonings or some onion. It is a great low carb/low calorie side dish.

MMMM I can't wait.

Tyff

[barefootgardener]

I've been growing Zucchini Rampicante for the past three years now. It's got great flavor and does not get watery like a lot of other Zucc.'s.Plus it has very few seeds at the top of the squash. Most of the seeds are in the bulb end.

I will also grow yellow crookneck cause my MIL likes it, along with yellow golden straightneck.

[montanamato]

I lkie to grill the tiny ones on the BBQ....Also my favorite bread and butter pickle recipe turns out great when small zukes are substituted for cukes...Leaves more cukes for fresh eating and prevents most of the zukes from growing up...
I have grown Striata d'italia for several years and Tatume in the past. This year am growing Golden and San Pasquale...I sometimes stuff and bake the blossoms too.

Jeanne

[barkeater]

Zucchini Elite is the perfect zucchini for me, has been since 1983. I wouldn't even try any other as it isn't possible to improve it IMO.

[flowerpower]

I am trying the cocozelle this yr. I like the stripes. lol

[shelleybean]

Flowerpower, that's what initially attracted me to Cocozelle too. It has a nice nutty flavor. This will be my third season with this zucchini.

[Miss_Mudcat]

I grew Costado Romanesco and the hybrid Gadzukes from Burpee. As for flavor, they are the most excellent tasting, in my opinion, but they are low yielders, which is amazing for any zuke!

I grew Rond de Nice last year. It was prolific and tasty! Great for steaming when small and nice as a stuffer when medium-sized. I found a recipe calling for cous cous as the stuffing. DH and I loved it, but the children weren't as receptive.

Another standard for me is yellow straightneck. Traditionally I grew only yellow-crookneck, but now that I'm growing for market, I needed something sturdier. Those crooked, skinny necks break too easily. I think they taste just the same.

Lisa

[DavidinCT]

I'm trying Zucchino da Fiore which was bred to produce large flowers and not many zucchini. Don't want to take up space in the garden (they are runners) so will see how 15 gallon white Easi-lift grow bags work on the lawn. Want to try the flowers wilted with fresh tomato sauce, stuffed with ricotta and anchovies or clams and in frittata. Hopefully they will be a nice ornamental in the yard and tasty.

[bugsy]

Wow, you didn't get much from your Ronde de Nice plant? I don't know what happened but I think I must have harvested at least 25 pounds from one plant, I am being very conservative. I hauled plastic grocery bags of round zuchini from that darn plant every other day all summer. That thing was a zucchini pumping monster. My family wants two plants this year and I really had to think about it before agreeing to it.

[obispo45]

For most of my gardening I prefer OP'ed varieties, the main exceptions are sweet peppers and zukes/summer squash. I realize the last two aren't the same but I always seem to lump them together. Presently I plan on growing Zephyr F1 a gorgeous hybrid....top half of veggie is bright yellow, bottom half is almost a mint green. Johnny's has it...maybe the only seed co. to my knowledge that has it. Really tasty and funky looking. Also like Magda F1 and its pretty, blocky, nutty tasting goodies. That one produces like a son of a gun! Will probably grow Costata Romanesco again, and going to try harvesting Yugoslavian Finger Fruit(long season squash) as a summer squash.