Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Winter squashes are available in a wide variety of types, shapes, colors, and sizes. This Galeux d'Eyesines, for
example, has salmon-colored skin with unique warts caused by the sugar in the skin. The flavor is almost as
sweet as a sweet potato, but with a smoother texture.
(Photo courtesy of Baker Creek Seeds)
Squash vines should never be allowed to dry out completely. Even slight wilting is a sign of an
overstressed plant. Mulching your plants is necessary in areas with hot, dry summers, such as
where I live.
Plants can take between 12 and 20 weeks to produce mature fruit, so check the information for
each cultivar carefully and make sure you plant varieties that will perform well in your region.
Warming up the soil where you plant your seeds can be done with a cloche so you can get the most
warm-weather growing time as possible.
Harvest the fruit when they are fully mature and the skin is thick and hard. There should be a
hollow sound when the fruit is thumped, and if the cultivar has a specific color, you should be able
to see this color fully developed. Cut the fruit from the vine but leave a couple inches of the vine
on the squash as a stem. Squash that you plan to store should be rotated gently on the vine so that
all sides are exposed to the sun and the skin thickens and hardens all the way around.
If the fruits are too large to trellis, place a board under the squash to avoid rotting. If you're aiming
for a record-breaking large pumpkin, remove all the fruits except three or four early in the season.
Otherwise let the fruits develop naturally and enjoy a bountiful fall harvest that will store nicely
for as much as six months or more given good air circulation. See Chapter 19 for more information
about root cellaring and storing food.
