Squash is a highly versatile member of the Cucurbitaceae family which also contains pumpkins, zucchini, watermelon, cucumber, and luffa. Squash, like other members of the Cucurbits are vining plants. They have both male and female flowers on a single plant, so they self pollinate without needing to plant tons of them.
Squash Details:
- Family: Cucurbitaceae
- Growing Season: Spring to early summer
- Growing Zones: 3 through 10
- Spacing: 36-48 inches (91-122 cm) apart
- Seed to Harvest time: 40-55 days
- Indoor Starting: 3-4 weeks before planting
- Earliest Planting: Once soil temperatures are above 65F (18C)
- Watering: Water when soil is dry, keeping soil moist, but never wet. Do not over water. Requires between 1-2 inches of water a week.
- Sunlight Requirements: Full sun
- Planting: plant starters in well fertilized soil keeping sun and spacing requirements in mind.
- Weeding: Squash do not tolerate weeds well. Weed daily where possible.
- Harvesting: Once squash reach desired size, simple grasp and twist the squash to pull it right off the vine.
- Known Pests: Squash bug, remove manually. Squash vine borer, use neem oil. Striped cucumber beetle, use neem oil. Powdery mildew, spray affected leaves with a vinegar solution mixed at a ration of 2 tablespoons per gallon of water.
More About Squash
If you’ve read some of our other articles before, like the one on broccoli, you might recall that often plants we think are different species really aren’t. Squash, the yellow spring or early summer vegetable we’re all familiar with is the species Cucurbita pepo. This is the same species as pumpkins, acorn squash, crookneck squash, scallop squash, marrow, and many more.
The morphology of this species can change greatly with cultivation, so we end up with many different varieties. This highly mutable form is something that early farmers actually desired, so breeding plants with their desired qualities would easier. Ultimately this farming practice has led us to where we are today with a wide variety of plants that are the same species with very different appearances and uses.
Squash Tasting and Food Notes
Summer squash are a lovely variety of Cucurbita pepo. They have nice earthy flavor and aren’t really bitter at all. They’re harvested young while their flesh is still tender and firm. Once in the kitchen squash can be roasted, steamed, sauteed, fried, or really cooked in just about any way you like. They’re rather astringent if eaten raw, but it is perfectly safe to do so. We recommend cooking them.
If you have a spiralizer, you can make them into “noodles” fairly easily. From here they can easily act as a vegetable substitute in many dishes. They tend to fall apart if overcooked, but if paid attention to make for a lovely and flavorful vehicle to carry a dish.
Squash take to seasoning very well, they are mostly water after all! When cooking them they can soak up flavors readily and you can get them to pair with just about everything savory. On the downside, squash don’t go well most sweet thing, but can be roasted with a mild sugar coating if you want to pursue that. Unlike acorn squash which have an easier time pairing with sweetness, summer squash are better left in the realm of savory foods.
Should I Grow Summer Squash In My Garden?
The biggest question you need to ask about summer squash is if you have space for them. The plants need several feet of room each, so a cramped garden may not tolerate them. Additionally, they are vining plants that need either room to spread out or a trellis to climb. If you do have the space, squash are a great addition to your garden. They are plentiful producers, even with just one plant, and they can put a lot of food on your table quickly. Squash can also be frozen or pickled, though they do lose some structure when thawed and the flavor is changed by pickling.