How to grow Squash, Summer?

Summer Squash are productive, fast growing and easy to grow and so are a popular garden crop. They are actually something of a gardener's joke (though not a particularly funny one) for being so productive that it's hard to keep up with them. Just a couple of plants can produce more fruits than the average family can eat.

Squash are large plants that take up a lot of room, but make up for it by being very productive. The vining types are very sprawling, but can be grown on trellises or cages to make them more space efficient. You might try growing them on the site of an old compost pile. All of the Squash must have full sun for good growth.

Squash, Summer History

The Squashes originated in the Americas and have been cultivated for over 5000 years.

Soil Preference

PH (min/max): 6.0 - 7.0
PH Ideal (min/max): 6.3 - 6.5

Summer Squash is a hungry and fast growing crop that produces a lot of biomass. To do this it needs a well drained, moisture retentive, fertile soil, with lots of organic matter. It doesn't do well on acid or saline soils.

How to care for Squash, Summer?

Summer Squash is a vigorous plant and needs little care once established (unless you have insect problems). Often the main problem is keeping it from crowding other plants (give it plenty of space).

The plants need an evenly moist soil for maximum productivity.

The best way to water Squash is with soaker hose, as wet foliage can easily lead to fungus diseases.

Summer Squash is a hungry and fast growing crop and needs a steady supply of nutrients.

Seed Viability: 3 - 6 years

Germination Percentage: 75.0

Squash are cross-pollinated by insects. They will not only cross with other varieties of Summer Squash, but also some kinds of Winter Squash. This means you have to hand pollinate them, or isolate by one half mile. As with most Cucurbits you should save the seed from at least 5 plants to ensure enough genetic variability.

Hand pollination isn't as complicated as you might imagine. Go out in the evening and find some male and female flowers that are about to open the following day and tape them shut with 3/4" masking tape. The next day you open a male flower (from a different plant) and remove its petals. You then carefully open the female flower without damaging the petals, brush the pollen-laden anthers from the male on to the pistil lobes of the female and then tape it closed again (to prevent further pollination). This procedure should work about 50 to 75% of the time. It works even better if 2 male flowers are used to pollinate each female. You will soon know if the above has worked because a successfully pollinated flower will swell rapidly (mark it carefully so it isn't accidentally harvested). If pollination wasn't successful the flower will soon fall off.

You must leave the fertilized squash to mature fully on the vine. This will slow down further fruit production, or may even stop it altogether. When the fruit is fully ripe it will get woody like a Winter Squash. It takes time for the fruit to ripen fully, so allow plenty of time before frost - at least 60 days). You then clean the ripe seed, dry it thoroughly and store in a cool dry place.

Sun: min. 6 hours daily

Full sun.

Conditions:Warm, Hot

Season:Short Season, Long Season

The fruits are best used fairly promptly. They will keep in good condition in the refrigerator for 2 weeks, but by that time you will have many more new ones, so it's best to get rid of them quickly.

Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: 0-14 days

Problems

Pests

Depending upon where you live, Squash aren’t much bothered by pests, or they may be so badly affected that they may be impossible to grow.

Squash Vine Borer

In my experience this is the number one pest of Summer Squash. Indeed it is one of the worst pests of a plant you are likely to encounter in vegetable gardening. Whereas many pests simply do some damage (often not serious), this one will kill the plant almost every time unless drastic measures are taken. If you aren’t very observant, by the time the damage is apparent the plant is wilting and close to death. If a plant starts to wilt the commonest course of action is to cut the plant open and pry out the worm like caterpillars (I don’t like killing things but it’s hard not to feel satisfaction when removing these). The borers give away their location by the sawdust-like frass that comes out of little holes in the stem. You might save the plant if you bury the stems in soil so they can send out new roots, but after digging out 8 or 10 borers the plant may be pretty well shredded. Another course of action is to inject B.T into the stem.

It would be much better if you could prevent the borers from entering the plant in the fi rst place. One idea is to lay a sheet of aluminum foil ‘mulch’ under the plant, apparently it is supposed to fool the parent moth so she doesn’t find the stems. You might also wrap the stem with aluminum foil.

Powdery Mildew

If you live in a moist area, your squash plants may be badly affected by Powdery Mildew. If white dust-like spots begin to appear on your squash leaves, chances are likely it's Powdery Mildew. Powdery Mildrew is a fungal disease, spread through the wind. Keeping your plants protected is difficult, so acting quickly is a good way to ensure you get a good harvest!

Dealing With Powdery Mildew: You can spray the leaves with a homemade mixture of 1 tsp baking soda and 1 quart water. Or, if plants are large enough, remove the infected leaves from the garden. Do not use these leaves in your compost! It will only spread more disease!

Squash, Summer Types

Specialty

Squash Mix contains more than one variety of summer squash from our offered seed packets! Discover squash of different shapes, colors, and flavors; try multiple varieties to see which you like the best!

Zucchini

The fruits of these varieties are long and slender, and generally are green in color. They are a fast growing crop under good growing conditions.

Scallop & Patty Pan

The fruits of these varieties are small, round and shallow with scalloped edges and resemble a toy top or flying saucer. They are a fast growing crop under good growing conditions.

Green

The fruits of these varieties are very long and slender, and generally are light green in color. They are a fast growing crop under good growing conditions.

Yellow

The fruits of these varieties are long and slender with a hook in the neck, and generally are golden yellow in color. They are a fast growing crop under good growing conditions.

Pests

Aphids
Cucumber Beetle
Gophers
Nematodes
Squash Vine Borers
Mealybug
Pickleworm
Squash Bug

Diseases

Anthracnose
Bacterial Wilt
Damping Off
Downy Mildew
Angular Leaf Spot
Alternaria Blight
Powdery Mildew

Get your Garden

What's Smart Gardener ?

The easiest way to plan, grow and harvest your own food....

It's an online vegetable garden planner for anyone who wants homegrown, healthy and tasty food to be part of their lifestyle...while having a busy life.

Find out more...

Join Now

Try it out!
Explore Maggies Garden...