Cucurbits (Squash family)

Well-drained soil enriched with plenty of compost.

Full sun.

Cannot tolerate frost.

Drench plants with a liquid fertilizer when they begin to blossom and set fruits.

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Single Plants: 3' 0" (90cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 3' 0" (90cm) with 3' 0" (90cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow seeds 1 inch deep in late spring or early summer, either in rows or hills. Also may be started from seedlings started indoors or purchased at stores.
Our Garden Planning Tool can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Some types grow to be large, long-vined plants, while others grow into compact bushes. Grow at the edge of your garden to save space.

Harvest winter squash when they plants begin to die back and the rinds cannot easily be pierced with your fingernail. Wipe clean, and store indoors at cool room temperatures.

Squash bugs and squash vine borers can be serious pests. Exclude them from young plantings with row covers. Butternuts naturally resist these pests.