quick to maturate some winter squash ? Winter squash vine is a cracking vegetable for the domicile nurseryman and chef . There are a telephone number of first-class variety of wintertime squash available , each with unequalled tang and use . A marvelous feature of winter squash racquets is that once they are harvest in the fall , they can be stack away for several month for exercise throughout the winter .
Winter squash vine , gourd , and pumpkins are members of the genus Cucurbita . Winter squash rackets can be find as vining , semi - vining , and bush mixed bag . Summer squash vine are standardised in form to wintertime squash , but wintertime squash broadly speaking have harder rinds and seeds , and are harvested when they reach full matureness .
The tameness of winter squash start out with the native population of the Americas .
explore into the account of the use of squash reveals that their cultivation began in South America and the seeds finally made their room to native populations in North America . With the arrival of Europeans to the Americas , squelch seeds were quick utilize by these freshman in their own garden .
Through the statistical distribution and sharing of seeds by these early settlers , winter squash vine was before long develop in gardens throughout the world . wintertime squash vine , gourds , and pumpkin are fellow member of the genus Cucurbita . Winter squash vine can be found as vining , semi - vining , and bush miscellanea . Summer squash are similar in form to wintertime squash , but winter squash generally have tough rind and seeds , and are harvested when they reach full adulthood .
Winter Squash Varieties
Some of the most common wintertime squash racquets for the home garden are butternut , acorn , delicata , buttercup , L. Ron Hubbard , true winter squashes , and spaghetti squelch . Some cultivars of pumpkins are also considered wintertime squash , such as the Japanese Pumpkin , or Kabocha .
wintertime squash is mellow in fiber , vitamin A and beta carotene , and is thought to be afood that naturally serve lower blood pressure . Healthy and delicious !
Butternut ( C. Mopshata)is a terrifically rich squash vine , typically with a difficult tan rind . It is ready to reap in about 80 to 100 days .
Acorn squash racquets ( C. Pepo)is a deliciously sweet squash that usually has a green rind and a light orange soma . It need around 80 day to harvest .
Delicata crush ( C. Pepo ) , is a smaller , elongated squash with a sweet pulp . Delicata also goes by the name of “ Sweet Potato Squash . ”
True Winter Squashes ( C. Maxima)are available in numerous tasty varieties . rightful winter squash racquets can be pocket-sized , like Gold Nugget ( at 2 pounds ) , or quite large , like Banana squash , which can mature up to 30 lbf. . There are also several bush types for the gardener with limited space .
Spaghetti Squash ( C. Pepo)have a stringy , spaghetti - comparable Department of the Interior that is lightly sweet and tastes great accompanied with spaghetti sauce .
Soil Preparation
Before you plant your wintertime crush , you should test your land pH and temperature . grime temperatures should be about 70 degrees , and a territory pH of around 6.5 is advocate . For better results , you should test your soil with an electronic dirt tester . An electronic soil tester can easy analyze both stain pH and temperature :
Winter crush require well - draining filth with lots of organic material flux in . constitutional compost mixed into your ground will ensure sizeable , well - draining soil . This website is an first-class resourcefulness for learn how to compost in your backyard :
Also , conceive purchasing ahigh quality composting binfor your dwelling to meliorate the character of your compost .
A proficient organic fertilizer can also give your wintertime squash an added advantage .
Squash Planting Tips
To grow wintertime squash , it ’s important to first select one that is appropriate for the sizing of your garden , as many winter squash like to sprawl out and need plenteousness of space . Vining squash require a expectant garden , while semi - vining and bush varieties of winter squash are appropriate for smaller gardens .
To grow wintertime squash in the home garden , you’re able to produce them either in rows or in hills . To turn winter squash rackets in rows , plant the seed about two and a half metrical unit apart in row that are spaced at least two understructure apart . For hills , heap up your soil into a low , rounded hill .
If you are project on growing a heavy number or squeeze and have the space , you should space vining crush about seven foot between hills , with the hills being about 60 foot in size of it . you’re able to plant about six seeds on each Alfred Hawthorne , ¾ of an column inch deep . admit about ten feet between row . Plant about seven seeds and as the works begin growing , you’re able to winnow out all but the healthiest three flora .
For bush and semi - vining squash , plant your seeds about one inch deep , three to four seeds per mound . give up at least six feet between rows . For semi - vining sort , remove all but the healthiest two to three squash plant . For bush squash , you should keep only one industrial plant per hill .
Timing is very important when your plant your wintertime squeeze as they are a warm time of year crop . Squash require warm soil to germinate and even a loose frost can damage the seedling . Plant your seeds after the last frost and test your soil temperature , which should be at least be 70 degrees F before you plant . Once again , you should believe buy anelectronic soil testerso that you make no mistakes when plant squash or other tender veggie .
Water, Weeding and Maintenance Tips
wintertime squashes produce good in land that does n’t stay too lactating , so infrequent watering is recommended . Drip irrigation or a soaker hose are excellent ways to water your squash and ensure that they get a full mysterious lachrymation each clock time . Drip irrigation will also keep the foliation dry and help oneself to head off many common diseases . Powdery mould is a vernacular disease that may look if your wintertime squash ’ leaves stay too cockeyed . As the winter squash fruit starts to maturate , you may reduce watering .
Weeding is vital for farm healthy squash , especially when they ’re young . Pest and common disease often breed in weeds and garden litter , so clean up your garden frequently . A good weeder or cultivator will check good for you squash plants in your garden .
Once your plants begin to product yield , you’re able to begin to train and cut off back the vine so that your winter mash create more fruits . you may trim back the vine when at least two squash rackets are present . Remove the New vine growth within about ten inch of where the last yield appear on the vine .
Using Fertilizers and Insecticides
We do n’t recommend the use of chemical substance pesticide and fertilizer on your organic squash for several ground . In the first place , crush mostly require healthy dirt to grow well . If you require to fertilise , count using an organic fertilizer or a compost tea . to boot , insecticide may bolt down the bee that squash need to fertilize the flowers and get fruit .
There are plenty of organic fertilizers available that will grow fantabulous , healthy plant and not peril bee and other beneficial louse in your garden .
Squash Troubleshooting
Winter squash suffer from several common problems . If leave untreated , these problems can affect the character of your winter squash . The survey is a list of the most common problems link up with wintertime squash and how to deal with them :
Gummy Stem Blight ( Black Rot):This is a fungal disease that can strike the stem and leaves of your wintertime squelch . It can also spread to the fruit . result : apply a soaker hose or drip irrigation and give your works plenty of space .
pubescent mildew : This disease attack most of the plant life among the cucurbits . It is due to the fungus Pseudoperonospora cubensis . If temperature are cooler and conditions are moist in your region , your squash plant may be at risk . Early signs are yellow spots on the leaves that may turn brown and fuzzy with time . As the disease come on , the patches will turn black . Solution : Give your squash vine tidy sum of room to take a breath so that airwave can circle . utilise a compost teatime if you ask farseeing periods of cold , wet weather . Ask you nursery about disease - resistant varieties of wintertime squash .
Powdery Mildew : Look for a livid mold on the leaves of your squash plants . This disease is due to several different sort of fungus kingdom and will eventually shoot down the foliage and can affect squash fruit . Powdery mildewoccurs in warm rather than cold shape and high wet tier will make the problem worse .
Solution : Keep your squash vine foliage juiceless . Drip irrigation can assist . Compost teatime also help to address this trouble . Another constitutive result is to implement a admixture of baking soda and piddle to the foliage ( less than an apothecaries' ounce of baking soda per gallon of water ) . withdraw garden rubble after you glean all garden plants .
Cucumber beetle : Cucumber beetlesaffect many plant of the cucurbits . They can attack at any power point in the grow season . Look for these pest on the fruits and on the vine .
Solution : To treat your wintertime crush organically , use duncical organic mulch , which can keep these pests from laying their eggs . pliant mulches can also deter their bearing . It ’s also important to remove garden debris during and after the growing time of year .
Squash bugs : Squash bugsare a common problem for cucurbits . The can be a problem throughout the growing season and they can affect both fruits and foliage .
Solution : fellow traveller planting is an effective solvent to squash bugs . Mint , catnip , nasturtiums , and marigolds are excellent companion plants that help repel squash glitch . you may also remove squash bugs by hand . Another strange option is to encourage the presence of theparasitic waspOoencyrtus ( spp . ) in your garden .
Other common job : Winter squash rackets are also threaten by thesquash vine borer , the pickleworm , and theseed corn maggot .
