Yellowing Zucchini Sadness

Question

First time gardener, I planted Zucchini seeds into seed starting trays May 8th, and they've been growing quite nicely ever since. Past few days the leaves have started turning like a dry yellow with the leaves also feeling dry. I think I water it enough but suspect that they are too small for the little 72 cell tray.

My question is: are my suspicions correct? Are they too big for their current growing location and if yes, I have been trying to harden them off a bit every day, so I transplant them outside or do I start into a bigger container first?

Answer 1

As a first time gardener you may be interested to learn that a very useful skill is to be able to examine the roots of growing plants. Try to develop some experience and knowledge of how to remove a plant safely from its pot and examine the root system. Learn to recognize when the roots have fully explored the root ball and when they still have room to grow. For a potted plant you can upend it and tease the plant out of the pot, but for your 72 cell tray you will probably need to put a finger under one of the cells and see if you can push the root ball up.

If the roots have fully explored the soil then it should easily come out in one piece. If there is still room to grow then it may want to come out in pieces so best left in the cell.

Some of the cheaper potting soils contain barely enough nutrient to get the plant started and will quickly need to be supplemented with a small feed of some kind.

So this answer to your question is: examine the root ball and see if the roots have fully explored it. If it has and the conditions are right outside for field planting then go right ahead. If you need to delay for doubtful conditions, pot up into a larger container and plant out when the conditions are suitable.