Used machines for Zucchini

About second-hand machines for Zucchini

Zucchini, also known as courgettes, are the unripened fruit of the Cucurbita Pepo and comes from the cucumber family. Most people will know courgettes as a green vegetable, but there are also yellow courgettes. Originally from North America, this vegetable is now eaten all over the world, including in Europe. 

Courgettes love warm weather and can't handle a lot of moisture. That is why this vegetable is widely grown in warm countries like Italy and Spain, but it can also grow well in the Netherlands in the spring and summer months. Courgettes can be grown both in greenhouses and outdoors. Unlike in the open field, courgettes can be grown all year round in greenhouses because the climate can be controlled there. In the warmer months, the courgette also grows well in the open field; to extend the season, the plant can first be sown in a soil block in a greenhouse, after which it can be put in the open field as a plant. In the greenhouses, few machines are used to grow courgettes. Pipe rail trolleys are often sufficient for tending and harvesting the crop. 

Several machines are needed to grow courgettes in the open field, which can make it quite expensive to start growing courgettes, especially if all the machines have to be bought new. Fortunately, this is often not necessary at all, as used machines can often last for years, and are much cheaper! Duijndam Machines has a wide range of machines for courgettes.

Courgette / zucchini planting machines

Growing courgettes starts, of course, with planting the young plant. For example, a foil planting machine for courgettes can be used if the courgette is planted in the soil covered by foil. The cups of this planting machine pierce a hole in the foil where the plant is inserted. What makes the foil planting machine so suitable for courgettes is that this machine grows the plant in a layer of foil, so the courgettes are not directly on the ground. This reduces the risk of damage or pest infestation. 

Later in the season, when it is no longer so cold at night, courgettes are sown directly in the open field using a pneumatic seeder. This is a faster and cheaper way of growing. 

Harvesting machines for courgettes

After planting the courgette plant, it is soon time to harvest with this fast grower; after only 6 weeks, the first courgettes can be harvested. After the first harvest, several more harvests will be possible, sometimes up to 20 courgettes come from one plant.

Harvesting courgettes is done by hand, making it a labour-intensive job. However, using a harvesting belt can significantly speed up the harvesting of courgettes. Harvesting belts are used for basically all vegetables harvested by hand, such as cauliflower, broccoli and lettuce.  The harvesting belt hangs just above the courgettes, allowing employees to place the fruit on the belt immediately after cutting it off. The harvesting belts are often connected to a harvesting trolley, where the courgettes are placed in crates. 

Courgette sorting machines

Courgettes are fragile because the skin is easily damaged. Therefore, it is important that care is taken when sorting the courgettes. This is why courgette sorting machines have limited drop heights.

Courgettes destined for the supermarket are generally sorted by weight. Weight sorting machines sort the courgette to a pre-set weight, after which it reaches the exit via buffer belts where the courgette ends up in manual boxes. 

Packaging machines for courgettes / zucchini

Depending on customer requirements, courgettes are packed after sorting. Courgettes can be packed in different ways; each way requires a different machine. 

Using a flow pack machine, large quantities of courgettes can be packed efficiently and at relatively low cost. Flow pack machines wrap the courgettes with plastic film all around, after which it is sealed along the horizontal side. An additional advantage of packing with the flow pack machine is that it extends shelf life. This machine is mainly used for pre-cut courgettes.

Whole courgettes can also be packed by the piece using a shrink-wrapping machine, such as a cucumber wrapping machine. This machine individually wraps the courgettes in a film that shrinks around the courgette by heating the film.