The main causes of zucchini rotting and how to avoid it

Zucchinis have currently passed the blooming stage and began bearing fruit. A great time for those who love this type of veggies as the results of our efforts can finally be seen. But the happiness may easily be spoiled when you come across rotten little zucchinis rather than healthy fruits. This a very annoying problem but unfortunately it is quite common, and it is not easy to avoid. We shall take a look at its causes and possible solutions.

Which parts of zucchinis rot the most?

We all know that zucchinis rot between the flower and the fruit. The flower falls off at some stage but the fruit is already rotten, or the fruit rots later, but from the top. You can tell that your zucchinis rot when it slowly turns yellow. You can still use the healthy path of the fruit, but you must harvest it quickly.

PARTLY ROTTEN AND HEALTHY FRUIT: Photo: Radek Štěpán 

They are several reasons for zucchini rotting

Let us take a look at the most common causes.

Too much watering

Yes, zucchinis need plenty of water, but zucchinis are able to keep water around their roots pretty well. When you water in the evening and still see wet spots under the plant, you do not need to add more water.

Calcium deficiency

Rotting may also be caused by calcium deficiency so try adding calcium to the soil using various preparations. Zucchinis are commonly fertilized with calcium nitrate or calcium chloride.

Photo: Radek Štěpán 

Birds and snails

Yes birds and snails are your culprit. If the skin of the fruit is disturbed a little bit, it starts to rot immediately. Birds can often damage the fruit in a way that is virtually unnoticeable. Snails can also contribute to the damage. They can easily get through the skin of young zucchini but once the fruit is bigger and older, snails can no longer damage it.

How do you avoid zucchini rotting?

If you do not want to use chemicals, you just pick the small rotten pieces and use the good part. Zucchini tends to make one big fruit. Our experience is that picking small fruits is better as you will not lose significant part of your overall harvest. It is also recommended to cover your plants with suitable fabric so birds cannot get to them. Granules against snails are commonly used but you may also try watering with lignohumate and water mixture.

Photo: Radek Štěpán