Squash Growing Guide
Squash (Cucurbita pepo) is a popular favorite with vegetable gardeners. It puts out vines that grow quickly. These vines can cover a large area and reward you with a large harvest. Yellow squash is one of the summer squashes, which is grown during the warm summer months.
It is harvested while in the immature stage of growth, when the skin is soft and the seeds are very small and soft. It has both male and female flowers, but only the female flowers produce fruits. The female flower below the petals is thick and may show a bulge which is the growing squash. The male flower is longer and thin.
Soil Preparation
The soil should be nice loose well drained organic garden soil with the soil pH between 5.8 to 6.8. As soon as the soil is frost-free and can be worked, till the soil by digging down 8 to 12-inches turning the soil over with a garden fork.
Remove any large rocks and stones. The small stones remaining will do no harm and actually benefit the soil by adding some micro-nutrients to the soil.
Planting Squash
Plant in full sun directly in the garden after all danger of frost. Sow several seeds 1-inch deep around a 12-inch hill. After the seeds germinate thin to 3-seeds per hill.
Water the vines deeply once a week to keep the shallow roots from drying out, in particular, when the plants are flowering.
If you do not have much space you can choose a bush variety. There are many varieties that can be grown in containers.
To lessen the chance of getting vine borers, plant later in the season. Waiting 4 to 6-weeks after the last frost date to plant can be very helpful.
For more detailed information visit the seed starting page.
Watering and Care
After the seeds germinate start adding a layer of mulch of shredded leaves or pine straw to help retain moisture and keep out competing weeds.
It is shallow rooted and should be deeply watered once a week. Keep water off of the leaves to prevent disease.
Harvesting Squash
It is best to pick when 6 to 8-inches long and up to 2 inches in diameter. This encourages the production of more and at this stage it is at its flavorful best. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears leaving a stem about an inch long.
Check your plants every other day and remove those that are 6 to 8-inches long. Those that escaped detection and grew too long can be cut up and added to the compost pile. A squash the size of a baseball bat is way past its prime. The inside will be soft and spongy with hard seeds.
You can use it to make zucchini bread as well as adding to pancakes and casseroles to use up the excess. Use some creativity in preparing your meals and if you still have too much, your friends and neighbors will appreciate a few.
Squash can be kept in the refrigerator for about a week, but it does not store well after that. Other ways to preserve your harvest are freezing, pickling and drying.
Diseases and Pests
Downy mildew and powdery mildew are common in some areas. Choosing resistant varieties and maintaining good air circulation around the plant are the best ways to avoid any problems.
There are several squash vine borers that can cause problems. Examine your vines often near where it comes out of the ground.
Look for a small entry hole and what looks like sawdust. To save the plant you need to remove the 1-inch long caterpillar. To do this make a lengthwise slit near the entry hole and spread the sides of the slit to reveal the caterpillar.
Use tweezers to carefully remove it, doing as little damage to the vine as possible. Now pile some soil over the slit to encourage the growth of new roots there. Cover with mulch and water when needed.
Cucumber beetles and squash bugs are common pest problems. Sticky traps and hand picking are used by many gardeners as well as some organic sprays. Examine your squash plants often, especially on the bottom of the leaves where the adults hide and lay their eggs.
Duct tape is a very effective way to remove the adults and eggs. Take a piece about 8 or 9-inches long and attach the ends together to form a loop with the sticky side out. Put one hand through the loop and with the other lift up a leaf looking for any eggs or adults. If you find any adults stick them to the tape and do the same for the eggs.
Popular Varieties
Yellow Crookneck: Crookneck-Early Golden Summer, Early Yellow Summer Crookneck, Sundance. Compact bush sizes are: Fancycrook, Horn of Plenty, Pic-N-Pic and Sundance.
Yellow Straightneck: Early Prolific Straightneck, Goldbar. Compact bush sizes are: Seneca Prolific and Zephyr.
Sources: Seeds Now, Burpee, Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Tips and Warnings
At the end of the growing season carefully pull up the vines and put in the trash not the compost pile. The vines may contain eggs or larvae that may be hiding inside the stems.
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