It’s easy to get excited when you’ve spent some time growing zucchini in your garden. The fruits of your labor are right there, and it’s tempting to pick them off and see if you can already eat them.
However, there’s the matter of timing as to when to pick zucchini correctly. Let’s take a more in-depth look at zucchini squash harvesting.
When is Zucchini Ready to Pick?
Zucchini plants are known for being very prolific yielders, with vegetables that turn from diminutive to monstrous-sized seemingly overnight. The fruit is well-camouflaged within the plant’s foliage, and it’s easy to miss them until the fruits are staring at you right in your face.
When picking zucchini, you’ll generally want smaller and more tender varieties instead of gargantuan ones. The reason for this is simple- larger zucchinis tend to have a thicker and tough exterior and a stringy texture whereas smaller fruits are more tender.
That said, you’ll want to pick zucchini when they’re firm and about 6 inches in length. Also, you should know what color your zucchini fruits turn into when they’re mature (this depends on the variety) as part of an indication that it’s ready for harvesting.
Timing is important when you pick zucchini. Leave the fruit too long and it hardens. Ideally, it should be yellow, dark green, or white. If the fruit is soft to the touch and feels mushy, then you should discard it and remember to pick the zucchini at an earlier time.
It’s worth noting that the more you pick zucchini fruits, the more buds the plant will produce. Eventually, you’ll be left with more zucchini than you or your family can eat, even if it’s just a single zucchini plant in a container.
In this case, you can either start handing out free zucchini to your neighbor or friends or allow some of the fruits to overripe. This won’t cause any harm to your plant in both the short and long term.
Generally speaking, it’s better to harvest zucchini squash earlier than later. There’s no time or schedule on when you can pick them.
You can take off baby zucchini, which are about 2 to 4 inches long, and get a mildly sweet flavor, or wait until they’re about the size of your hand (about 5 to 7 inches long). Zucchini are notorious for fruit production, so it’s best to have a constant eye on things if you want maximum produce.
How Do You Cut Zucchini Off the Plant?
Now that you know the right time to pick zucchini fruits, the next step is to learn how to pick the fruits off the plant.
The best way to harvest zucchini is by using a sharp knife, pruners, or scissors. Hold the fruit with one hand and remove it around 1 or 2 inches from the stem with one clean cut. Alternatively, some would grab a hold of the zucchini and twist it until it’s removed, but doing this can damage both the fruit and the plant.
Male zucchini flowers can be harvested by cutting an inch or two at the blossom. Make sure to remove the stamen immediately (found right at the center of the flower).
Female flowers can be pinched or cut off carefully so you won’t damage the squash. Alternatively, you can harvest both the small, underdeveloped fruit and the flower together and then separate them afterward.
Do a careful inspection of your zucchini plant for any fruits that are hiding within the foliage. You might unintentionally damage flowering buds and small fruits, so turn over the leaves gently as you look underneath. The stems of zucchini plants are particularly fragile and are something you wouldn’t want to break.
The fruits of the zucchini plant can be prepared fresh, added to dishes, or stored for later use. The ones you store later should be washed thoroughly with clean water and placed in an open or perforated plastic bag, then in freeze bags to put in a refrigerator. Alternatively, you can freeze the fruits flat, shred them, or cut them into cubes.
When to pick zucchini: Final thoughts
When fresh, zucchini squash stores well and up to three months at a time. Even with a single plant, you can harvest an adequate amount of zucchini to feed everyone.
Related article: Zucchini Companion Plants