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Cucurbita, Squash (Summer), Dark Star Zucchini, ~ 20 seeds

In stock

Ready to purchase!
SKU
63198610
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Sun Preference
Full-Sun
Bloom or Harvest Time
Summer, Fall
  $4.79

Description

Cucurbita pepo

Certified Organic

Slender, ribbed, uniform zucchini.

Dark Star Zucchini was bred for uniformity, drought resistance, and yield. We love the open bush habit of the plants, making fruit easy to spot at the perfect harvest stage. Its slender, dark green look; subtly sweet, tender taste; and prolific nature make it irresistible in nearly every summer meal.

Seed Starting Successfully

Start your garden from scratch with Gertens' wide variety of seed packets! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, we have seeds for every skill level and garden size. From colorful flowers to delicious vegetables, our seeds are carefully selected for their quality and performance.

Seed Starting Successfully

Grow Your Best

When to Grow Veggies & Fruits

From Our Experts

Details

What are Dark Stars made of? In this case, Ravens, Black Eels, and Black Beauty. Farmers Bill Reynolds and Donna Ferguson were on the search for open-habit, drought tolerance, and good flavor in their zucchinis. Their search turned into a participatory breeding project with Organic Seed Alliance. By crossing the hybrid Raven with the old-standard Black Beauty zucchinis, they created Black Eel. Years of further improvement led to Dark Star, an exceptional variety that is ready to go supernova!

Dark Star Zucchini was bred for uniformity, drought resistance, and yield. We love the open bush habit of the plants, making fruit easy to spot at the perfect harvest stage. Its slender, dark green look; subtly sweet, tender taste; and prolific nature make it irresistible in nearly every summer meal.

Growing Instructions
Start indoors 2-3 weeks before last frost or sow outdoors after last frost. Sow 2-3 more times at monthly intervals for fruit all season. Zucchini tolerates moderate soil fertility and dry conditions. Plants grow to 3' high and 3' across. Harvest fruits often at young stage for best eating and highest yields. 

Quick Facts
Days to Germination: 5-10 days
Days to Maturity: 60 days
Planting Depth: 1"
Spacing in Row: 24"
Spacing Between Rows: 36"
Height at Maturity: 36"
Width at Maturity: 36"
Sun Preference: Full Sun

About the Artist
Artwork by Eric Losh. Working with acrylic paints and watercolor, Eric interpreted this variety by creating a night sky with constellations of the plant's forebearers. The watchful terrestrial eyes suggest the keen observation it takes to be a seed steward.

More Information

Mature Height (Range) 25" - 36"
Spacing Between Rows 36"
Spacing in Row 24"
Days to Germination 5-10 days
Planting Depth 1"
Days to Maturity 60 days
Seed Packet Type Organic Vegetables
Plant Life Cycle Annual
Bloom or Harvest Time Summer, Fall
Sun Preference Full-Sun
Common Family Name Zucchini
Brand Hudson Valley Seed Co

Product Questions (12)

Starting times will vary depending on the vegetable you are growing. Each seed packet will have specific sowing instructions for that type of vegetable. Some plants, such as tomatoes and peppers, should be started indoors, 6-8 weeks before the last frost...
The process of bringing seeds outside is called hardening off. Hardening off is generally done sometime after the seedling has two full sets of normal leaves. In Minnesota, you want to begin hardening off seedlings in late April/early May.  To ...
If you have a southern facing window with all day sun, you may grow seedlings in a windowsill. Be sure to rotate the seedlings frequently to ensure the plants do not lean heavily towards the sun. For more even results, use a grow light, positioned roughly...
We recommend using either high intensity T5 fluorescent bulbs, or LED grow lights. Both setups will produce excellent results. T5s are the typical grow light, are economical and come in frequencies that are helpful for plant development. LED technology...
Grow lights should be kept roughly 4-5” above the top of seedling leaves. If you are using very powerful LEDs, you could even keep them 8-10” away.
Grow lights should be used to mimic a natural sunlight cycle for plants. We recommend using them 12 hours a day, from roughly 7am to 7pm.  
A variety of seedling trays exist for seed starting. If you are starting smaller seeds, a simple peat cell tray works great. However, the larger the seed, the larger the initial pot should be. If you are starting larger seeds indoors such as: sunflowers...
Do not start any type of fertilizer regime for young seedlings until they have at least two full sets of regular leaves. Start with a root stimulator, then after a month you may move on to a gentle, weak (half strength) water-based fertilizer. Remember...
Let the roots tell you when to transplant. When you begin to see the seedling’s root growing out of the bottom of their current pot, it is time to transplant up to something larger. We recommend using a 4” nursery pot to transplant most seedlings. In...
Gertens carries a wide variety of both spring and autumn planted bulbs. Spring planted bulbs, such as gladioli and dahlias, are best started indoors in early April, and planted outside once the soil temperatures are above 55 F. Autumn planted bulbs, ...
The big three tips are: 1) Staking and training 2) Feeding and watering and 3) Harvesting and enjoying. 1) Keeping plants trained and staked allows air circulation around crops and provides much-needed support for produce as it grows...
Gertens does carry an assortment of both perennials, as well as annual and perennial wildflower mixes. It is important to remember when growing perennials, that you will not get any flowers the first year of growth. It often takes a perennial 2-3 years...
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