wild size difference of zukes in pots and ground

10 years ago

I started these zucchini (Dunja) from seed and planted as seedlings. One each to a pot, one in the ground. Kind of as a test and also due to space limitations, since I know how enormous they can get.
The interesting thing (to me) is that the one in the ground is much smaller and less developed than either of those in pots. (I would have expected the opposite.) Also, one of the pot specimens is quite a bit larger than the other. Same location, same seeds, watering. The only difference is the potting mixture and the soil for the one in the ground. In one of the pots used Miracle Grow Organic potting mixture, the other Vigoro organic potting mixture (I do not work for either company). The one in the ground has compost-ammended loamy soil. So I guess the components of the 2 potting mixtures are somewhat different...

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Comments (3)

lolear
Original Author
10 years ago
Here's the one in the ground....
wertach zone 7-B SC
10 years ago
The pots warm quicker and squash like the warmth.

"The one in the ground has compost-ammended loamy soil."

Due to the temps and quality of the soil the roots will not spread as fast and will produce a smaller plant in the beginning. But, unless the bugs don't get to it, it will probably produce longer and have higher quality fruit.

I'm guessing the bigger potted plant is in Miracle Grow Organic potting mixture? It most likely has more nutrients.

I grow a couple of tomato plants in buckets every year as sacrificial tomatoes just to get early home grown tomatoes. I get them about a month earlier.

But they stop producing when the others that are in ground take off.

If you had dug a big hole and put the same potting mix in the ground and used something like black plastic to give heat then the results would probably have been about the same for the in ground.
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lolear
Original Author
10 years ago
Wertach, you got it! The plant in the MG pot is the largest and has started producing harvestable squash. I would have thought the in-ground soil is of better quality and better nutrient content than either potting mix because of all the high quality home made compost! Then again, the weather here has not been conducive (cold, windy, very wet) so if it ever gets to be summer-like I should have more zukes than I know what to do with... I'm a big fan of chocolate zucchini bread!