Squash

• Light: Sunny
• Soil: Well-drained
• Fertility: Medium-rich
• pH.: 6.0 to 7.5
• Temperature: Warm (65 to 75 degrees F.)
• Moisture: Average

• Planting: Seed after danger of frost is past and soil has warmed
• Spacing: Hills (2 to 3 plants per hill) 3 to 4 feet X 4 to 6 feet; single plants 2 to 3 feet X 3 to 5 feet
• Hardiness: Very tender annual
• Fertilizer needs: Heavy feeder; sidedress 1 week after blossoming begins (3tablespoons of 21-0-0 per 10 feet of row); repeat 3 weeks later

Summer squash grows on nonviring bushes. There are many varieties with different fruit shapes and colors. The three main types include yellow, straight neck or crooked neck; white, saucer-shaped, scallop or patty pan; and oblong, green, gray or gold zucchini.

Soil containing plenty of well-rotted compost or manure is ideal although good crops may be grown in average soils which have been adequately fertilized. For extrearly fruit, plant seeds in peat pots in greenhouses or hotbeds and transplant about 3 weeks later after the danger of frost. Older plants that have hardened-off and stopped growth will not transplant well and should be discarded. Squashes are warm season plants and do not do well until soil and air temperatures are above 60 degrees F.

Seed or transplants can be planted through black plastic. Cover seed with 1 inch of soil.

Squash plants have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Pollen must be transferred from the male flowers to the female by bees. Use insecticides late in the evening to prevent killing bees.

Common Problems

• Diseases: Powdery and downy mildews; blossom blight; bacterial wilt; nematodes; virus; fruit rot
• Insects: Cucumber beetles; squash vine borers; pickle worms; squash bugs
• Cultural: Flower drop (normally occurs when female flowers form before male flowers or during periods of heavy fruit set)

• Days to maturity: 40 to 65
• Harvest: For zucchini types, harvest when immature and only about 6 to 8 inches long and 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. For white, patty-pan types, harvest when 3 to 4 inches in diameter. For yellow crooknecks, harvest when 4 to 7 inches long. If the rind is too hard to be marked by the thumbnail, it is too old. Remove old fruit to allow new fruit to develop. Once plants begin to bear, check them daily.
• Approximate yields: (per 10 foot row) 20 to 80 pounds
• Amount to raise per person: 10 to 25 pounds
• Storage: Cool (32 to 50 degrees F), moist (90 percent RH) conditions for 5 to 14 days
• Preservation: Usually in cool, moist storage; may can as pickles or relishes or freeze (frozen squash quality may be poor)