A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 hard zucchinis

This is my first garden. I picked a rather large zucchini the other day and couldn't even cut it with my knife. Is it not ripe yet? Some of the zucchinis seem tender if i push them...others feel like rocks. Can anyone explain? Thanks a bunch. -Sally

You need to harvest summer squash early. I pick at about 6" or less. If you let them grow too large, you need to peel and deseed before you eat.

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Just noticed your name, "A gentleman always provides covering fire while a lady reloads".

Hi and thanks for the info. Some of my smaller ones feel like rocks too...so I've been letting them go thinking they will get softer with age. Maybe I just have a bunch of difficult zucchinis. Thanks for the cover fire :-) -Sally

LMT
Why do you need to peel and deseed them after 6inches?? I've never heard of that. Whether they'e large or small....I treat them the same way and enjoy it.
shootingal
Are you sure they're zucchini and not some other sort of squash? I have a client who thought she was growing zucchini and turned out not to be.
Good luck with them.
Christina

*Shootingal,
Got any pictures of your zukes'???
That might help us a bit?? Maybe????

What are your watering practices???
And soil, what type?
How are they grown..? Raised beds, reg. garden,
containers???
Are they grown in full sun?
How's the heat been?
And what kind's of fertilizer you used, if any????

**Cristina,
Some people do not like the seeds :p , especially if they get too big...*my mother loves them small, and can't chew the seeds...
I like them a little bigger~so I can grill them
and they don't fall thru the grill*