Squash is a popular vegetable crop that can be grown in various seasons and is easy to grow. It requires soil temperatures between 70 and 90°F (21 and 32°C) for optimal germination, which should be draining, rich in organic matter, and have a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0. Squash like warmth and full sun, in rich, moisture-retentive but not waterlogged soil. They need plenty of space, even the more compact bush varieties can easily spread to 90cm.
Squash is an annual fruit representing several squash species within the genus Cucurbita. Squash are thirsty plants and should be watered deeply and at the base of each plant, especially during hot, dry weather and when fruits start to form. They grow best in full sun, so plant on a south or southeast facing slope and water at least 1 inch a week.
Squash grow best in sunny locations and in fertile, well-drained soils. Incorporate organic matter and a complete fertilizer into the area before planting. Plant four to six seeds ½ inch deep and 2 to 3 inches from the pot’s edge. After a week or two, the seeds will germinate. Set two or three summer squash plants 4 to 6 inches apart in the mound, water gently with a watering can or gentle spray of a hose immediately after planting. Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil and add compost to enrich the soil before planting.
📹 How to Grow Squash | Basic Tips for Incredible Success
00:00 – Intro 00:29 – Seeds 02:00 – Summer Vs. Winter Squash 03:20 – Male Vs. Female Flowers 04:44 – Harvesting IN THIS …
What is the secret to growing squash?
Squash thrive in warm, full sun conditions in moist, but not waterlogged soil. They require ample space, even compact bush varieties. Before planting, prepare the ground by creating a 30cm wide hole, filling it with soil, compost, or manure, and scattering a general purpose fertilizer like Vitax Q4. Space individual sowing sites at least 90cm apart for bush plants and 1. 5m for trailing plants.
Does squash need to be watered every day?
Squash plants require adequate soil moisture, especially in dry weather, due to their long taproots and branching surface roots. They are heavy water feeders and require about one inch of water from rainfall or irrigation each week during the growing season. Sandy soils need more frequent watering but with lower amounts applied at any one time. Drip hose, soaker hose, or careful watering are ways to water these crops. Vertically trellised plants may need more watering.
Frequent, shallow cultivation with a hoe or hand tool kills weeds before they become a problem. Scratch the soil surface with a hoe just deep enough to cut weeds off below the surface. Continue cultivating as long as possible without injuring the plants. If cultivation is no longer possible, pull large weeds by hand.
When harvesting summer squash, pick them when they reach the desired size but before they become over-large, with large seeds, hard skins, and fibrous or watery flesh. Harvest small “baby” fruits or medium-sized fruits for smaller plantings. Squash blossoms are edible and should be harvested the day they open.
Have fruit harvested often but be careful not to disturb the plants, as they often send out new roots from joints in the vine. Do not pick fruit when the vines are wet to avoid spreading diseases.
Does squash need a lot of sun?
Squash thrive in warm, full sun conditions in moist, but not waterlogged soil. They require ample space, even compact bush varieties. Before planting, prepare the ground by creating a 30cm wide hole, filling it with soil, compost, or manure, and scattering a general purpose fertilizer like Vitax Q4. Space individual sowing sites at least 90cm apart for bush plants and 1. 5m for trailing plants.
How to maintain a squash plant?
To grow squash, water lightly until germination, weed your bed regularly, install a sturdy trellis to save space, and redirect vines as they grow. Squash plants produce male and female flowers, with male flowers appearing a week or two before females. Pollen must be carried from male to female flowers, so plant pollinator-friendly flowers like Sweet alyssum, Zinnias, Catmint, and Salvia near your garden.
Both summer and winter squash need at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Soil should be rich, and fertilize at planting time with a balanced food. Fertilize again when squash plants begin to flower and fruits form.
How long does squash take to grow?
Winter squash is a tender, warm-season annual that requires warm weather to grow. It requires 2 to 3 seeds planted at a depth of 4 times the seed’s thickness after frost has passed and the soil has warmed. Transplants can be started indoors by sowing seed in 3-inch diameter containers 3 weeks before planting time. Winter squash can be planted between June 15 and July 1, and requires full sun at least 6 hours/day. It takes 60-100 days to maturity. Seeds should be planted every 3 ft.
To 4 ft. apart in rows about 6 to 8 feet apart, depending on the type. Fertilizer needs are medium-high, with a medium-high requirement for nutrients from soil organic matter or fertilizers. Compost should be incorporated prior to planting and side-dressed when fruits begin to form. The approximate yield is 10 to 20 pounds per 10-foot row.
Winter squash is harvested and eaten in the mature fruit stage when the seeds have matured fully and the skin has hardened into a tough rind. It can be stored for use during the winter and is generally cooked before eating. Winter squash grows on long vines and comes in many varieties and colors. To maintain the squash, water deeply and regularly at the base of each plant, especially during hot, dry weather and once the first fruits start to form.
What is the best fertilizer for squash?
Pupkins and squash require meticulous soil preparation and the application of 3-4 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet, distributed evenly and incorporated into the upper two to three inches of soil prior to seeding.
What is the best way to plant squash?
Squash thrives in sunny locations and fertile, well-drained soils. To grow, plant 4-6 squash seeds directly in the garden when soils are 65°F, 1-2 inches deep, in mounds 4 feet apart. Thin the mounds after emergence to two plants and transplant summer squash 2 feet apart through black plastic for early maturity. Use row covers or hot caps to protect the plants before the frost-free period. Plant winter squash at the same time as pumpkins and side dress with additional nitrogen fertilizer after the vines develop runners.
Irrigation should be deep and infrequent, and plastic and organic mulches help conserve water and reduce weeding. Control insects and diseases throughout the year. Harvest summer squash shortly after flowering and winter squash when the skin is hard and not easily broken. Store in a cool, dry place. Most summer squash varieties perform well in all areas of Utah. Soil for squash growth should be organic, rich, well-drained, sandy, and well-drained.
How many squash will one plant yield?
The yield of squash per plant is typically between five and six fruits, with larger squash and pumpkins yielding two to four fruits. The optimal planting period for squash is March, April, and May, with seedlings planted in late May and June after the risk of frost has passed. It is recommended that squash seeds be planted at a depth of 2. 5 cm (1 in) vertically and at the same level as they were in the pot.
What makes squash grow faster?
Squash is a versatile vegetable that can be grown in various climates, including summer and winter. To grow, plant summer squash when frost has passed, while winter squash can be planted in mid-summer. Space squash plants 3 to 6 feet apart, in an area with 6 or more hours of sun and well-drained soil. Mix aged compost or other rich organic matter into the native soil for nutrient boost. Squash require consistent moisture, but avoid wetting the leaves. Water 1 to 1. 5 inches of water weekly for optimal growth.
Squash require good soil, with plenty of sunlight and good drainage. To prepare the ground, mix a 3-inch layer of compost or Aged Compost-enriched Miracle-Gro Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil with the top few inches of native soil. Space squash plants at least 3 to 6 feet apart and provide a steady source of nutrition with a continuous-release fertilizer like Miracle-Gro Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules. A light mulch is sufficient for squash plants, as they minimize weeds and provide cooling shade.
What climate is best for squash?
Squash is a plant that flourishes in soil with well-balanced drainage and a pH level of 5, which is characteristic of both well-drained sandy loam and clay loam. The optimal pH range for cultivation is 5. 5 to 6. 5, and the plant requires a dry, warm climate for fruit setting, with optimal temperatures ranging from 18 to 30°C for growth.
📹 My 5 Secret Tips for a Bigger Better Squash Harvest!
Today I share the 5 Tips that ensure me bigger and better squash harvests every year. Merchandise: https://jamesprigioni.com …
I live in southeast Louisiana and our soil is sandy loam. Many moons ago Southern Living magazine had an article on frying the squash blossoms. Try it if you haven’t already. Just wash the yellow petals and dredge them in some flour. Heat a little oil and put them in the pan. They cook quickly. Place cooked petals on a paper towel to drain. Salt and pepper to taste.
Saw a article on the problem of squash vine borers, and this guy wraps the stem coming from the base of the plant, with strips of tin foil, wraps it from ground level to about 5+ inches above, making sure that no part of it is exposed, especially where it touches the ground. He said it works very well for him. He lives in Tennessee. Thanks for the great advice in this article. I learned a few new things (“trap plant” blue hubbard squash, and burying the zucchini stem if squash vine borers have invaded!).
Hey there James! I love seeing Tuk in the garden with you, and enjoy eating the fruit and veggies right next to the. It reminds me of my miniature schnauzer that I lost two years ago. He loved iceberg lettuce. He knew when I was getting lettuce from the refrigerator. He would run to his spot, just out of the kitchen and wait for me to hand him a cold huge leaf of lettuce. He just loved it. Thank you soo much for the wonderful info on gardening. I’ve been a gardener most of my life, but in Texas, and now I live in Arizona, the desert 🏜🙃. I’ve come a long way! Thanks again James. Peace and love.
You are definitely a genius gardener James. What a lot of amazing advice. A few years ago I had a summer where I grew twenty three varieties of zucchini, squash and pumpkins. The Grayziini was spectacular. I grew them all on very nicely mulched compost mounds. We had a lot of squash that year. I didn’t know a single one of those secrets, so thanks very much for sharing. Your dog guzzling that young cucumber was unforgettable, and he is astonishingly beautiful. He is radiant!!
“What’s going on growers!” Love it! Thanks for the tips James! First time growing courgette this year, so this was very helpful in understanding how it grows and what to look out for. I will be staggering out the planting next year. We are really enjoying our organic baby courgettes, which are normally sold in store at a premium price. The seeds have already paid for themselves, they taste much better and the texture is a lot smoother. We have 6 plants in container pots, using bamboo and string to support them. We planted them out late due to the late frost and honestly didn’t think they would grow outdoors after transplanting them but they are thriving! I didn’t realise that they would “tire out” or that i could get two harvests in the season so definitely a tip i will use next year. I also didn’t realise you could re “root” them. I have seen little green things popping out. Am I guessing these are vines or potential roots? I had to replay tip no. 5 as i got distracted by Tuck eating his cucumber bless him! Out of 9 dogs we have had in the family only 1 ate vegetables. She would love to go out in the garden and eat the runner beans from the vines. That being said, she also managed to steal some steaks from the counter top! Totally a forager dog! lol
Thank you so much for your articles! We are in south Jersey and it’s so difficult to grow squash here. The squash vine borer is the bane of my existence! Here they don’t just lay eggs at the base of my plants, they lay them all over, from base to tip. I have to grow them vertically on a trellis due to lack of space. I go out every morning and pick off tons of eggs, shoot bt in the stems, foil around the base, but eventually they get me! I have them into August here. Didn’t grow any squash this year🥲 but I did get a greenhouse. Going to try and grow in there next year and hand pollinate. I will not give up! You inspire me to garden-thank you! And tuck is just precious! ❤️🌻
For several years I’ve been growing winter squash on “skyscraper” towers I’ve fashioned from 3/4″ PVC pipe and fittings. They are 7′ tall, 2′ on a side, and in four sections that make for easy disassembly and storage. The vines are easily trained onto the towers. They result in better air flow through the plants, raised level of blossoms, less disease, and higher fruit production.
Great tips. I decided to grow squash again this year and I was concerned about vine borers. Your tips on managing plants with borer issues are quite helpful. I’ll sure to try them. Also I never knew why my small zucchini squash would die back. Now I know to hand pollinate. Thanks for your interesting and helpful presentations.
What I do is this. I plant my squash hills level with the ground. As the squash grows I cover the stalk. I keep the soil on the stalk. Usually the borer will git to the bottom of the stalk. If you got a lot of soil it stops the borer. As the plant starts making squash. You keep putting soil around the stalk and the vines. Don’t break off your leaves borers can get into the plant at that point. Hope this helps…happy gardening….
Love that Tuck!! What a little man…he knows how to chow down on the veggies…especially his carrots. He has a good daddy–attentive to his needs. Trap crops…just sort of pulling it together on rotating crops and companion planting. Need to pick up the tips and info on trap crops and start adding that little by little. Thanks James. Jesus bless.
James don’t know if when Youtube sends us older vlogs whether when we comment you ever see these comments. I had no idea, being a gardening neophyte, what that was on my squash plants, Acorn in this case & zucchini, so without your tutorial how would i have known what to do. can i also make a suggestion when we buy some of you merch, sorry to say but i am assuming most people have already seen this one, so may the receipts that you have with your gorgeous, tasteful icon should thank the person for their purchase bc it supports your project/s. i just think it’s a little more personal & we went to the trouble to do it, etc. I’m just saying it like you’re my son that I am so proud of because you are one amazing guy, everyone knows this. Forgive me i just think it’s a nice touch & it’s gracious like a beautiful flower garden! I LOVE you website & Tuck in it is a very special touch.
You need to do a article on how you water the food forest!!! I’m in NJ as well. And in the crazy heat of this summer, it’s impossible to have a full time job and keep up with my small garden. I can only imagine the amount of time you must be hand watering! Please do a article on watering and what magic you use please!
Hey Team Tuck! I have just planted Corn and Squash as the first 2/3 of The Three Sisters. Have you ever tried this companion planting? Would the permies call this a guild? I live in a humid climate and I am worried about Powdery Mildew. I have made sure I have planted the block of corn and squash in the most sunniest and windiest part of my garden. Love the Tuckmeister! He even tells us how to eat healthy. He should go on a national tour with the President. Cheers!
Great website James!!!!!!!! It’s so hot hear in central Texas what we do is plant in Succession starting March. Every two weeks we plant 4-6 seeds. We have a 4 acre food forest and have the room to do this. The plants will produce 4-6 squash and then die off. With 24-36 plants in the spring season over 3 months before the 100+ heat in July we do real well. Love the website and enjoy learning!!!!!!!!!!
Mind blown! Did not know you could bury the stems without them rotting. Thank you! I told my Dad people on YouTube said we can get another crop in if we plant now, and he was getting ready to tear out the infected plants since they all pretty much got vine borers. Normally he puts aluminum foil around the base of the plant and didn’t this year – I think he was really surprised they had such a big impact so I’m sure we’ll be going back to using that trick next year too! Thanks so much for the recommendation of the trap crop – I had seen it recommended a lot but I couldn’t figure out why they would only go to one squash and not the others if they were all the same….. So having a better crop as a trap makes a lot more sense haha
@The Gardening website With James Prigioni…. Man I’ve had a terrible time this year and last year with vine borers. I have done just about everything, I even sprayed and injected them with BT before the borers came, and they still got my plants. I pruned, I used neem oil, BT, buried the healthy parts of stem, did squash surgery, wrapped the vines, used distraction plants, and they still decimated my crops!!! I replanted some seeds I had left over and I’m waiting for those to come up… Ugh I don’t want to give up because squash are my favorites, but I’m about to!
I have used your suggestions on picking early to avoid the plant from stopping production, I have routinely added soil to main root whether I have vine bore or not and I am ready to plant more squash to keep the harvest coming. Many mice had stalled my tomato and squash harvest so I put netting over them and hope the plants can make a come back. I was getting 2-4 dozen cherry tomatoes each day when the mouse crisis came to a peak but live and learn. Love giving that produce to my friends. Thanks.
What I like about this article is people keep all their tips secret. So we cannot achieve a common goal. But I love this article because you have shared your secrets I’ve been gardening for many years but this one is a brainstorm for me. By perusal this article I know where I’ve gone wrong in the past. Let things to you I understand it now.
Love this!! You & Tuck are such great teachers. I had volunteer squash come up in my spinach bed, dug them out, transplanted to clay pot (without a plan – just wanted to save them). They made buds, and now we have beautiful yellow blooms! Idk what to do next, but definitely plan to up-plant, and baby them. Thank You for this and all your articles! I’m in 7b, W. TN.
I help run a community garden and we really struggle with cucumbers and melons. They always get what I assume is bacterial wilt or some kind of fungal infection. The newer gardeners always think it’s a watering problem because bit looks like the plant is drying up. I have read that it could be from the saliva of the striped cucumber beetle, which I do see around the garden. We usually get cucumbers before the plant dies and I just continually plant more cucumber plants in anticipation of them dying, but melons take longer to mature, so the plant is usually dead before the melons are ready. I would love it if you would do a tip article like this one about dealing with this problem. I will share it with all my community gardening friends here in Omaha Nebraska. Thank you for inspiring gardeners!
Question for you James. I was perusal a article from Southwest Mushrooms that was all about how they grow all kinds of mushrooms in a sawdust block that they create. Once the blocks are done they give them to local farmers. What are your thoughts on using these mycelium blocks in the garden? Would you put them at the base of a tree? Around tomatoes?
My aunt used to grow micro greens and grew up there too was the best of times, even when it sucked. I know gardening a 189 from everglades farming but if I get a home someday soon in these over priced lands first thing I do is have a garden as plentiful as this. Very awesome sir thank you and tuck, and anyone else in the entourage helping out for being badazzes
Great idea to re-root the squash! Thanks! Would like to have seen you cut the worms out. Freaks me out though, not sure I could do it. Squash borers got all 7 of my squash plants. Appeared suddenly – no trace, then plants gone. Saw and removed/squished all the squash bugs, but never saw a single borer bug appear or lay a single egg. Clearly they were there though! Tried so hard not to need pesticides/sprays. Not possible.
Hey James.. I dig your style dude. You come out behind a bush or a fence walking and talking like an OG Jersey Thug. Then on a dime you turn into the botanical professor poppin off all the problems of the day then rollin’ right into how to remedy those issues. Superb. Burying the squash stem was new to me and I’ve been in a large community of friends, neighbors, and family who all do the garden thing.. I’m in Coastal Connecticut. Rural but right on Long Island Sound. I figure our planting zones are pretty close. By the looks of your place I’d guess you’re in mid to south Jersey. I like your style, your garden, your tips and advice and your “Little dog too” munching on cukes. I just gave you a Thumbs Up, Subscribed, and Activated the Bell. Cuz just like Pink Floyd sings in Time… “Far away across the field, the tolling of the iron bell, Calls the faithful to their knees, To hear the softly spoken magic spells” ~ Pink Floyd “Time” “Dark Side of the Moon” Love & Peace . Also proper amounts of photosynthesis, osmosis, and favorable pollination, and of course perfect precipitation .
I’m having good luck with trap plants. I found that leaf miners love Morning Glories. They grow fast enough so they still bloom but the leaves are mess. I let them grow all over the place and the leaf miners do not get on anything else. I let a mustard type plant go to flower since they were kind of pretty then discovered it was covered with Harlequin bugs. They weren’t on anything else, even the brassicas, which they normally attack, right next to the mustard. It was easy to knock them off into a jar of soapy water. I sometimes get big 4-o’clock plants come up wild which some people consider to be weeds. I find a whole bunch of weird beetles and bugs on them, so I let them stay. I think that is one of the best advantages of just letting things grow and not having a tidy garden.
Hey James! Thanks so much for your articles. I am proud to say I beat both the sqaush vine borer and the squash bugs this year. I have been spraying an emulsification of neem oil and castile soap and injecting bt with a syringe every 7-10 days. I am in ny in zone 6b and have gotten through July without one borer! I have see squash bugs and have picked them off by hand but little to no eggs
Great article, I learned so much and I was wondering about planting a second growing of squash and beans. It is July 22ed and I’m in Southern Maryland so I might get a very good crop. I’m going to try it. I did reroot the summer squash and then lost the new ones due to no fertilization. I didn’t realize until they were rotting. Again, this was so helpful and I love perusal all your articles and of course Tuck!
Blue hubbort squash is yummy and stores well I don’t have many squash pests here so mine grew very well at least two big early enough for me squashes That store well Im just about to open up my last squash from last summer and its not rotting yet Its changed to a more yellow cream color which means its ripe but nothing soft 🙂 Im so happy i can have fresh winter squash just before my new ones start coming in It frezes well too
Thank you for posting this article as I’m new to growing my own fruits and vegs. Also for the tip for pollinating Squash. I would to know how much sun should the Squash and Zucchini plants should be exposed to. I’m aware this article is a year old but hope you may respond to the Neophytes questions. Give Tuck a scratch under the chin for me. 🙂
I haven’t had any vine bores before. Are they only on the East Coast? I’m in Seattle zone 8B. Good info though, you’re one of my go to websites and I appreciate you – and little Tuck! Last year was my first year learning how to garden. I’m late this year but I’m going to get started tomorrow! I’m trying electroculture with it.
Hi James thanks so much for the info. I did know about cutting away the damage parts on the squashes. I did not know about planting further up on the zucchini or squash plant. Also thanks for the tip on growing the Blue Hubbard squash. I have those problems each yr. NOW I know what to do😀 I’m going to prepare those thing as my plants get to that point & will go get seeds for the Hubbard squash. I love Turf he looks just like my Ginger who past last Oct.
I like your tip about burying part of the squash plant. However it’s almost impossible if you trellis them up or use the square foot method. After taking notes (during my first serious garden work), the scallop squash need trellising, they really vine out–it’s the only one I have that vines so much. For the square foot method, make sure you have 2 squares for squash (some sites say one–impossible!), and don’t put them in the middle row if you have 3-4 rows in a raised bed, let them overlap the edges into the walking area. With 2 squares you can point them all in one direction, then bury some of the stem in the empty square next to the one you planted them in. Love your enthusiasm and articles! It’s funny that my wife also found your articles when I was looking for info, had to tell her I was already subscribed, ha.
Hello James! I really enjoy seeing what you’re planting in your garden, Thank You! I will definitely use your suggestion to bury the squash stems for additional rooting. I saw a article on using BT solution in a syringe and injecting it into the stem to kill the vine borers… wondering if you had heard about this technique? I will try this if necessary but haven’t experienced the vine borers here in San Diego…, yet… Have a great growing season!
Wow…yes lost one of my Zucchinis last year when the main stem died plus mildew…now I know why! And yes I thought you picked them when flower fell off…what a difference it will make this year. Was also wondering if you do Zucchini/Squash upwards too by removing the elbow suckers? Or is this counter productive? Oops almost forgot the heart for Tuck ❤❤❤
James I absolutely love what you are doing. Tuck is as cute as always. I have hit the like button. Just keep doing what you are brother. It really helps to motivate me and a lot others. My garden is growing like crazy and I couldn’t be happier. I grow completely in containers and I am learning as I grow lol. I FINALLY Got a name for my website it’s called Steve’s Gardening Adventures and it’s going to be about growing in containers only . I have made mistakes this year for sure but you learn from them and you try not to repeat them. Sorry for the book but what you do is very important for so many and I wanted to say Thank you.