There is nothing quite as nostalgic as eating winter squash on a chilly autumn day. This infamous
comfort food is the key ingredient in many favorite fall dishes. Along with being incredibly healthy, they also have an impressive storage life. Growing your favorite type of squash can be quite simple. Here are a few steps to follow that will have you growing your very own squash in no time!
Pick a Squash, Any Squash
There are many varieties of winter squash to try. Most varieties are fantastic when roasted, sautéed, baked, or pureed. Squash is an incredibly versatile vegetable. Here are a few common varieties that you can consider for your garden:
- Butternut squash
- Buttercup squash
- Hubbard squash
- Acorn squash
- Spaghetti squash
- Cushaw squash
Plant Early
During spring, prepare your seeds after your last frost of the season. Put out seedlings when they are about 3-4 weeks old. Make sure to stop planting squash about 2-3 months before the first freezing bout of winter hits. Squash grows best in warmer climates, so keep that in mind if you feel like you are planting late.
Soil & Planting
You want your squash to grow during warm weather in moist but drained soil with a pH of about 6.0 to 6.5. Find an area of full sun and make a meter wide planting hill into rows along your garden’s edge. Make sure your soil is loose and make your planting sites about 12 inches deep. Work in about two inches of compost and fertilizer and plant 5-6 seeds per hill. You should get about 3-4 squash plants per hill. Save your seeds so you can continue to plant next season!
For more information about how to grow squash, contact the team at Blooms Landcare. Call [phone] to schedule your professional landscaping!