How to distinguish zucchini seedlings from pumpkin seedlings

The inability to distinguish seedlings of different plants is a fairly common problem not only for beginning gardeners, but also for experienced gardeners. This is especially true for seedlings of plants belonging to the same family. Landing markings go a long way toward avoiding this unpleasant situation, but even they can fail: getting lost or blown away by the wind. That is why knowing the obvious differences between seedlings of often confused plants will not be superfluous. In this article we will look at the most similar members of the Cucurbitaceae family: squash and pumpkin.

The benefits of zucchini and pumpkin

In terms of benefits, there are no special differences between them. Both vegetables are incredibly healthy. They have a very rich composition, which includes essential vitamins and minerals:

• vitamins A and C;
• vitamins of groups B and P;
• potassium;
• phosphorus;
• calcium;
• copper;
• iron and others.

Both of these cultures are capable of having a strong positive effect on the body. Due to the natural polysaccharide they contain - pectin, they have a preventive and therapeutic effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

Of all the vegetables that are most often grown in garden beds, these crops are the lowest in calories and healthiest. In addition, they are approved for use in the nutrition of children from one year old.

The only difference between them is the cooking methods. Zucchini is most often used for preparing dishes and preparations. Pumpkin works best in desserts and sweet cereals.

Differences between pumpkin and zucchini

Despite the fact that both crops belong to the same Pumpkin family and they have quite a lot of common characteristics, there are also differences between them.

Distinctive features of pumpkin:

• plants produce powerful and long lashes. Unlike zucchini plants, they require mandatory formation;
• pumpkin most often has a round shape. Although varieties of pumpkins have also been bred that have an oblong shape, which is very reminiscent of zucchini;
• The color of the skin and pulp of a ripe pumpkin is orange, less often gray;
• they begin to ripen closer to mid-August, but the peak of their ripening occurs in the autumn months;
• pumpkin fruits have a hard layer under the skin that can also be eaten;
• pumpkin fruits have a sweeter taste and a stronger aroma than zucchini fruits.

Distinctive features of zucchini:

• the plants have the shape of a bush and only sometimes send out lashes, the size of which will be smaller than that of pumpkin plants;
• they have an elongated oval shape, but the fruits of some varieties have a pumpkin round shape;
• their color, unlike pumpkins, is more varied: they can be yellow, green and even striped;
• the bushes bear fruit all summer until the first autumn frosts;
• The pulp is homogeneous, it has a fresh taste without a pronounced odor.

Differences between zucchini seeds and pumpkin seeds

There are cases when the seeds of these vegetables purchased in specialized stores during storage scatter and mix with each other. Or the gardener independently prepared the seeds of these crops and did not sign them. You can, of course, plant the seeds at random, but if planted together, the zucchini and pumpkin can become dusty with each other and produce a poor harvest. Anyone who has never planted pumpkins and zucchini in their summer cottage will suggest simply sorting out the seeds. But experienced gardeners know very well that it is not so easy to distinguish the seeds of these crops - in appearance they are almost identical to each other, although they have a number of features.

Distinctive features of zucchini seeds:

• their seeds have a more elongated oval shape;
• the seed skin is thin and easily damaged;
• the seeds are milky white in color without a yellow tint;
• The squash seed breaks into two halves when pinched between the pads of your fingers.

Compared to zucchini seeds, pumpkin seeds:

• have a more rounded shape;
• their skin is rougher and denser; the seeds are painted a soft yellow color;
  ​Important! There are some varieties of pumpkin whose seeds are no different in color from zucchini seeds.
• their seeds are not so easy to split into 2 halves by pinching them between your fingertips;
• pumpkin seeds are larger in size than squash seeds;
• they have faster germination compared to zucchini seeds.

All these signs will help you sort out mixed seeds, but they will not give an absolute guarantee. Therefore, if it is impossible to select some seeds from others, it is recommended to plant zucchini and pumpkin in seedlings. This is done in order to prevent the proximity of these crops in the same bed.

How to grow zucchini and pumpkin seedlings

Before planting zucchini and pumpkin seeds for seedlings, they must be processed. Most gardeners adhere to the standard scheme:

1. Selection of seeds suitable for sowing.
2. Soak.
3. Warm up
4. Hardening.

Such seeds are planted directly into the soil, without any procedures.

Both crops are very sensitive to the acid level of the substrate, so the soil for seedlings must be either slightly alkaline or neutral. Most often, peat diluted with humus, turf soil and sawdust is used for seedlings. Before planting seeds, the prepared soil must be disinfected with boiling water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

You should not use large containers for planting these crops. It is best to take separate pots or cups and plant 1 to 3 seeds in them. The weakest shoots must then be removed, leaving only one strong one. The seeds are buried 2 centimeters into the ground, and they must be placed strictly horizontally. The planted seeds are covered with polyethylene or glass and placed in a warm place with a temperature of 20 to 22 degrees.

Seedlings hardened in this way will not stretch even with insufficient lighting.

Watering the seedlings of these crops is done with settled warm water as the top layer of soil dries. Fertilizer of young seedlings before planting in a permanent place is carried out only 2 times:

1. After 7–10 days from emergence, young plants are fertilized with mullein or urea and superphosphate. No more than half a glass of fertilizer should be used per pot.
2. After 7 days from the first feeding, young plants are fertilized with nitrophoska. By this time, only the strongest sprout should remain in the cups, so the fertilizer consumption rate will be one cup per pot.

Ready seedlings are planted in a permanent place of growth no earlier than a month from the moment the seeds germinate. If they are planted in open ground, then planting should be done only after the end of frost, namely in late May - early June.

Video on how to plant these crops for seedlings:

Differences between zucchini and pumpkin seedlings

As with seeds, this method of distinguishing between squash and pumpkin plants is not 100% guaranteed. But in most cases, this is how you can sort one seedling from another.

Signs of zucchini seedlings:

• in squash plants, the cotyledon leaves have a more elongated, longer shape than in zucchini seedlings;
• the first true leaf of their young plants is very thin with a carved surface;
• The stem of the seedling is quite long and colored pale green.

Signs of pumpkin seedlings:

• Young pumpkin plants have a thick and short stem;
• both the stem and leaves of the seedlings are painted a rich dark green color;
• Pumpkin leaves are larger in size compared to the leaves of squash plants. In addition, their texture is very rough and dense.

These differences in both seeds and seedlings of these crops have common features.Depending on the variety, the distinctive characteristics of the plants may change, for example, the pumpkin will grow as a bush and have a soft green color of the seedlings, or the zucchini plants will creep along the bed and have rough leaves. Therefore, the surest way to distinguish zucchini from pumpkins is to harvest it - it will be clear exactly where the fruits are.

Recommended Posts

The difference between zucchini and zucchini, what is the difference

Zucchini Yellow Banana F1

Varieties of long and thin zucchini

Eggplant Vakula

Zucchini variety Gribovsky 37

Zucchini varieties for long-term storage

White-fruited varieties of zucchini

Zucchini Housewife's Dream

Varieties of zucchini for the Moscow region for open ground