Gift that became an obsession — Zucchini

Someone gave me Zucchini as a birthday gift and I barely knew what it was. Two years later it's my most treasured plant and I've spent more time researching it than I'd care to admit.

The key discovery was consistent deep watering rather than frequent shallow watering — once that clicked, the plant transformed. productive over a long season with successive sowing is what gets mentioned every time anyone visits. I keep it in a greenhouse or polytunnel for season extension which works perfectly. sowing under cover from late winter for early crops is when I understand why this plant has such devoted followers. aphid colonies on brassicas and soft growth is the one ongoing challenge but it's worth the effort.