Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Sow squash seed directly outdoors when the ground is warm—right about the last frost date in
your area. You can start seeds indoors but use biodegradable pots so you can transplant without
disturbing the roots of the plants. Plant the seeds individually 1 inch deep and space them 1 to
3 feet apart depending on the size of the mature vine and whether it's a climbing or bush form.
When given fertile soil and plenty of moisture, squash will grow like a weed. You can see the
growth each day when you check the garden in the morning! Squash flowers are male or female
flowers and only the female flowers will produce fruit.
Having a variety of squash plants can help fertilization because male flowers appear a little before
the female flowers. The female flowers have a miniature fruit underneath the flower. Male flowers
have no miniature fruit visible and the flowers are edible.
Most of the summer squash varieties should be harvested at the 4- to 6-inch range. This means
you'll need to check your squash vines every day because a fruit that seems to be barely forming
one day will suddenly be ready to harvest the next. Pattipan or other specialty squashes may have
different sizes of maturity, but all summer squash are harvested before the seeds begin to mature.
Squash is prone to pests and grows through the warm season when creepy-crawlies are out and
about in full force. If we notice an infestation of squash bugs we'll run the chickens through the
garden like a flanking cavalry to demolish the enemy. I've heard from others that their chickens
won't eat pests but their Guineas will, so you may want to experiment and see what works best for
you. Don't keep your poultry in the garden for too long, though, or they will peck at and destroy
the plants you're trying to grow.
Other organic methods of controlling squash beetles include hand picking (spray the plants with
water first and it will be easier to catch the bugs) and floating row covers to prevent eggs from
being laid. If you cover the plants with row covers, the flowers will have to be hand-pollinated.
Other pests include aphids, cucumber beetles, mites, and squash vine borers. Viruses and powdery
mildew are diseases that can plague squash plants as well.
Black Beauty.
A very dark green zucchini that is nearly black in color, the Black Beauty is a classic
summer zucchini. Matures in 60 days.
Early Prolific Straightneck.
This variety has been popular for almost a hundred years and won
the All-American Selection in 1938. Lemon yellow squash with firm, flavorful flesh, the straight-
neck is highly prolific and tolerates heat well.
Peter Pan.
A cute summer squash with flattened, patty pan-style fruit. The light green squash
matures quickly, in about 49 days, and this squash was an All-American Selection winner in 1982.
