Gad zukes

 

Is it necessary to stake or cage zukes?  I am growing black beauty.  The one
plant I have is in a 22 inch pot and has started to grow rapidly.  Do some
varieties vine as opposed to "mounding?"

 

Paul M. Cook wrote:

All the ones I have grown (including BB) form a clump that gets longer with
the season but don't really run like a pumpkin or cucumber.  In good
conditions it will never stay in a pot that size.  It has no tendrils so it
will not grow on a trellis of its own accord but you could tie it up if the
ties will hold the weight and not damage the stems or leaves.  The easiest
thing is just let it spread over the ground  Leave word with the authorities
before you go in to harvest though.

David

 



I've heard stories about people who went out to gather a few for dinner and
weren't seen again until the fall freeze.  Word has it the pot will produce
a somewhat stunted plant but even more fruit.  I was thinking of just
driving three 4 foot bamboo sticks into the pot in a triangle then making a
twine support system, kind of like a spider web.  Sounds like that will be
better than a formal trellis.