Vegetable Garden - Tips on Growing Winter Squash From Seed

Many Garden Plants do not last long after they leave the garden, and why should they? We do not just grow vegetables for their looks, but because they provide nutritious and healthy food. We grow, we harvest and we eat. However Birdhouse Gourds just do not fit this formula. We grow them, we harvest them and then we cure them, carve them and hang them in a tree in hopes that a pair of birds will find the gourds and move into their new home. And when they do, we all take turns until the baby birds fly away. So we do not eat the birdhouse gourds, but they do provide food for the soul.

DIRECT SOW:

In late Spring, after any danger of frost. Soil temperature should be at 70º F. Cooler temperatures can cause the seeds to rot. Sow 2-3 seeds every 18",in a row, cover ½" to 1" deep. Plant in hills that are spaced 4 ' apart with 4-5 seeds planted 1" deep.

GROWING CONDITIONS:

Plant in rich well composted soil. Apply mulch to control the weeds before the vines begin to spread..

GARDEN HINTS:

Winter Squash will grow best in warm soil.

TO SOW INDOORS

• 3 weeks before last frost

To Direct Sow:

• Sow 2 weeks after the last expected spring frost, or when soil temperatures reach 70-90° F , however Winter Squash prefers closer to 90ºF.
• In short-season climates, start seeds indoors in individual containers 2 to 3 weeks before planting. Then plant the little garden seed in soil that has been pre-warmed with black plastic for a week or two. When the soil is warm enough, remove the black plastic and plant seedlings. Test the temperature!
• Plant seeds 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) deep, in pre dampened hills, for bushy cultivars: plant 3 to 4 plants per hill, in hills 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) apart. For vining types: plant 3 to 4 plants per hill, in hills up to 5 feet (1.5 m) apart. You can use the same spacing when planting out seedlings or transplants.
• A good trick when planting seedlings is to mound a hill of soil up and around the stem if it is more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the soil line to the first set of leaves. This will the one time that it is okay to mound soil up around a plant's stem, it will not rot, from the soil, it will however if the soil is too cool thus giving a stronger healthier root system to develop. If you have had problems in the past, cover the seedlings with row covers to protect them from insects like quash bugs and cucumber beetles.
• Winter Squash need regular water to keep the fruit producing, and can be grown without mulch, except in very dry climates, since the leaves are large enough to shade the soil on their own.
• Keep in mind however, because winter squash do take longer to mature, when the fruit is in contact with moist soil for long periods of time, rot can happen on the underside of the squash. Soft sunken spots form where the fruit touches the soil, and if the conditions are right, can cause complete collapse of the fruit. To minimize the problem, prop the squash up off the ground with up-side flower pots, bricks, or tile, so they are not in contact with moist soil. Use care when doing this and do not break the vines or crack the stems. If that happens, you will lose the fruit.

• Garden Hints:

• You can feed the plants about every three weeks with a good balanced water soluble fertilizer like a 5-5-5 or a 10-10-10.

• Hand pollinate if bees are not active in your area to ensure fruit set.

• Start with assorted varieties and you can fearlessly grow so many squash in a surprisingly small space as they have a reputation for providing gardeners and everyone they know with their prolific output.

• Squash need plenty of quality sun and good drainage, and they love wrapping their roots around bits of decomposing leaves or other compost. Prepare the ground for squash by mixing in a 3-inch layer of compost along with a timed-release or organic fertilizer at the rate recommended on the label.

• Squash plants bears both male and female flowers. The female flowers are easy to identify by looking for a tiny squash below the blossoms. Male flowers are borne atop a bare stem. To help female flowers develop into squash, bees and other small insects must pay numerous visits, leaving behind trails of pollen brought from male blossoms. Male flowers often drop to the ground at the end of their life; do not be alarmed, as this is normal.

• Squash bugs, squash vine borers, and cucumber beetles often will injure the squash plant, with damage most severe later in the season, when the plants are failing anyway.

• In areas where the pest pressure starts early in the season, grow plants beneath floating row covers, or use covers made of wedding net placed over hoops. Remove the covers to admit pollinating insects when the plants start to bloom.

• When the rinds of winter squash are tough enough to resist being punctured with a fingernail, cut them with a short stub of vine attached. Be patient, because only fully ripened squash will keep for months in storage. Wipe fruits clean with a damp cloth, and store them in a basement or other cool place. 

USDA Hardiness Zone -First Frost Date- Last Frost Date

• Zone 1 -July 15th -June 15th
• Zone 2 -August 15th- May 15th
• Zone 3 -September 15th May 15th
• Zone 4 -September 15th May 15th
• Zone 5 -October 15th April 15th
• Zone 6 -October 15th April 15th
• Zone 7 -October 15th April 15th
• Zone 8 -November 15th March 15th
• Zone 9 -December 15th February 15th
• Zone 10 -December 15th January 31st (sometimes earlier)
• Zone 11 -No frost. No frost.

GROWING CONDITIONS:

• pH should be 6.5-7.5
• Growing soil temperature:70-80ºF (21-27º)C.
• Watering should be moderate in the early stages and moderate to heavy after fruits form.

NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS

• N-High, P=High, K=High.

Rotation considerations

• Good Companions: Celery, corn, melon, onion and radish.
• Bad Companions: Potato

Gourds will grow in soils less fertile than squash or melons. In deep bottom-land soils, light applications of compost and minerals are acceptable. In marginal soils of sandy texture, slightly heavier feeding is needed.

GARDEN HINTS:

In northern climates, start seeds in greenhouse 6-10 weeks before transplant time. Start 3 seeds in 6" pots, transplanting outside when weather is warm and plants are sizable. Most larger kinds need 120-180 days to mature in the north. In warmer climates, sow seed directly. Gourds are drought tolerant and need less water than melons, especially in the latter part of the growth cycle.