Zucchini mould. A natural thing?

Do you grow zucchini in your garden? If you do, then you certainly know that some fruits show some type of unpleasant mould or rot on a regular basis. It starts from the tip and spreads to the end of the fruit. After that, the fruit turns brown and becomes practically useless. Small rotten zucchini are part of any plant. But the rest of the fruits is healthy and can grow to large sizes. So, what is the cause of the rot? We shall take look at this phenomena in more detail.

Too much watering

Your plants may suffer from excess moisture. Zucchini need water yes to become juicy, but zucchini can retain a lot of moisture deep at the root level. When you water zucchini in the evening, you will notice that there are places still saturated with moisture under the plant. If you see that do not add more water.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Snails and birds

If a snail or bird disturbs the surface of zucchini, it will start rotting almost immediately. A miniature hole is all it takes… You might not even notice it. Snail bites are little bit more visible, but still you may not notice it and the result is the same. This applies in particular to young zucchinis, as the pests can penetrate young skin easily. Older fruit is usually not attacked.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Lack of calcium

Mould appearing at the tip of zucchinis can also be caused by the lack of calcium. You can add calcium to the soil rather easily. For example, crushed eggshells should be enough.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Forget chemicals

Experienced zucchini growers know that there will always be some rotten fruit. But if the amount is very small then you should not worry. Zucchinis simply rot very easily. If you spot a rotten zucchini simply remove it and that’s it. Do not use chemicals or anything like that because you do not want to downgrade your crops with chemical substances your body certainly does not need.

Preview photo: Radek Štěpán