Squash - Summer

Type: Vegetable

Rotation Group: 0, No rotation needed


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SUNBURST

A bright yellow-skinned Patty Pan type, this high yielding variety yields squashes with a fine flavour and texture. Rather ornamental when growing.
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PATTY PAN GREEN TINT

These attractively scalloped fruits can be eaten raw when young or left to grow larger for cooking. Highly ornamental and equally delicious!
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DELIKATES

A very tasty patty pan squash, which produces plenty of white-skinned fruits that can be treated like courgettes. If left to grow larger, hollow out the seed cavity and stuff with a favourite savoury filling and bake. The plants resist powdery mildew well, so stay productive longer.

Site, Soil and Preparation

Squash require a well drained, humus rich soil in full sun, with shelter from winds.

Indoor Sowing

Sow squash seed indoors from April to May for transplanting later on. Sow pumpkins seeds on their sides in small 7.5cm (3”) pots of seed compost at a depth of about 2.5cm (1”). Place in a propagator or seal pots inside a plastic bag at a temperature of 20-25C (68-77F) until germination which takes 5-7 days. Do not exclude light, as this helps germination. Once germinated, grow pumpkins on in cooler conditions until all risk of frost has passed and pumpkin plants are large enough to be transplanted outdoors. Gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over 7 - 10 days before planting pumpkins outdoors.

Outdoor Sowing

Alternatively direct sow squash outdoors from late May to June at a depth of 2.5cm (1”) and a distance of 2m (6 1/2’) - 3m (10’) apart depending on the variety. Sow 2 seeds per hole and thin out the weakest seedling per station after germination.

Thinning

Thin plants during transplantation to final growing position.

Transplanting

Transplant squash outdoors in warm, well drained, humus rich soil in full sun, with shelter from winds. Choose a spot that receives at least 6 hours of direct sun per day.

Care

Feed and water squash regularly. When growing squash, a thick mulch of organic matter spread around the plants will help to conserve moisture at the roots. Hoe between plants regularly to prevent weeds from establishing. Squash will begin to produce long stems which can be trained in a circle around the plant to prevent them spreading too far.

Harvest

Leave squash on the plant for as long as possible until the skin has hardened and the fruits start to crack near to the stem. Harvest pumpkins before the first frosts by cutting each fruit from the stem leaving several inches of the stem attached.