Growing Winter Squash

Organic Vegetable Gardening
Fact Sheet

Botanical name: Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepo

Seed

Winter Squash

Winter Squash Plant

Planting time: SU
Seeds per ounce: 100-250
Ounces per square foot: 0.01
Minimum legal germination rate: 75%
Germination type:

Short Germinating seeds

Notes
Growing Winter Squash is easy and they are prolific producers. Winter Squash is a member of the cucurbit family of vegetables, which also includes Pumpkins and Cucumbers.

Winter Squash requires at least three months of warm, frost free conditions for crop production. Winter Squash will tolerate a light frost.

Winter Squash are mature and ready to harvest when the stems holding the fruit begin to shrivel. Cut the squash from the vine rather than pulling it free. When you cut the squash from the vines leave two inches of stem attached if possible.

Often, Squash are categorized as either summer or winter. The difference is the immature fruits of summer varieties are eaten fresh, while the Winter Squash are harvested in late fall when mature and the skins have toughened. After harvest Winter Squash can be stored in a cool, dry location, and used into the winter.

Planting
In garden spacing (inches): 18
In flat spacing (inches): 2
Planting depth (inches): 1
Maximum number of plants per square foot: .5
Nutrient relationship:: Heavy Feeder

Harvest

Days to maturity: 77-119
Harvesting period (days): 28
Minimum yields in pounds /square foot: .8

Cultural
Diseases: Alternaria Leaf Spot, Anthracnose, Bacterial Wilt, Blossom-End Rot, Downy Mildew, Fusarium Wilt, Gummy Stem Blight, Powdery Mildew.
Insect pests:(Insect Pest Finder) Bean Aphid, Green Peach Aphid, Pickleworm, Spider Mite, Spotted Cucumber Beetle, Squash Bug, Squash Vine Borer, Striped Cucumber Beetle

Varieties
Blue Hubbard, Burgess Buttercup, Bush Table King Acorn, Bush Table Queen Acorn, Chicago Warted Hubbard, Delicata, Golden Hubbard, Long Island Cheese, Pink Jumbo Banana, Sugar Loaf , Sweet Meat, Table Queen Acorn, Turk’s Turban, Waltham Butternut

 

Organic Gardening Seed and Plant Sources:

 

 

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