GET GROWING: Planting squash in the garden

Brian Sebade developed in not only the Americas, round, flat, scalloped, acorn, straight- uccessfully growing squash in but also in Europe and Asia. neck, crookneck, oblong, or a mix. SWyoming requires selecting good Squash varieties can be select- Squash might be dull or vibrant in col- varieties, hard work, persistence ed based on plant growth pattern, or with all shades of the color spec- – and a little bit of luck. Match the shape, color, taste, storage options, trum in solid, stripped, or bicolored type of squash with the gardening and days to maturity. patterns. With so many combinations of color and shape, squash can pro- environment to increase the odds of Growth pattern vide gardeners with something new success. Squash plants grow in a spread- and exciting each year. Variety Selection ing vine pattern or in a bush growth pattern. Vining plants are great for Storage options Squash are in the Cucurbita ge- fences or other vertical structures or There are so many varieties of nus, which includes other vegetables can be grown directly on the ground. squash that gardeners have placed such as cucumbers. Three species, Squash with bush growth patterns these brightly colored vegetables in Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita moschata, have more compact growth and do two categories to help with organiza- and Cucurbita maxima, were domes- not vine out. They tend to use less tion: summer and winter. Summer ticated in different regions of the space than vining types when not trel- squash are harvested when the skin Americas and provide us with most of lised. No matter the growth pattern, is still soft and fruits have not fully the squash plants used today. plan on squash using a lot of area for matured, whereas winter squash are Selecting squash varieties for production compared to many other harvested when the skin is hard and a garden or farm can be daunting. vegetable plants. fruits have fully matured. Summer With such a long history of cultiva- squash includes species such as tion, trade, and importance as a food, Color and shape zucchini, scallops, and crookneck there is a plethora of varieties from Squash fruits might be smooth, squash. Winter squash includes which to choose. Varieties we en- have ridges, warts, or a combination pumpkins, gourds, butternut, spa- joy on our dinner table today were of all three. Common fruit shapes are ghetti, and many other hard-skinned

FALL 2018 25 should be spaced anywhere from 3 to 6 feet apart depending on the variety. Squash should be grown in full sun, soils high in nutrients, with ac- cess to ample and consistent water. Rotate planting to a different area of the garden each year to avoid disease issues. Disease and pest issues Powdery mildew is a common problem squash face throughout Wyoming. Plants grown in green- houses or high tunnels tend to be more susceptible because of the in- creased humidity. Sprinklers can also increase the risk due to more water on the leaves of plants. Squash vary widely in shapes and colors. This one resembles a cucumber. Along with climate controls, con- sider planting varieties resistant to squashes. In general, winter squash and dark location and then stored in a powdery mildew to reduce problems. can be stored for longer periods of similar location before use the follow- Applications of products that contain time than summer squash before ing year. Keep in mind squash easily copper can help decrease the spread they spoil. cross-pollinate, so you might end up of mildew when plants are young. with a very “strange” squash in the Days to maturity and temperatures Read labels for all products before ap- garden the following year. Squash like it hot! Eighty- and plying to crops. Squash can be directly seeded 90-degree temperatures are perfect. While fairly uncommon, insects into a container or garden bed, usu- Average summer temperatures in do attack squash. Aphids, squash ally around an inch deep once soils Wyoming vary from location to loca- beetles, spider mites, and whiteflies have warmed and freezing tempera- tion, as do the number of days in the are some of the insects that can be tures are past. Plants can also be growing season. In short growing problems. If you think you might have started inside and then transplanted season areas (such as high eleva- insect issues, contact your local UW outside to get a start on the growing tions), consider growing summer Extension office for insect identifica- season. If transplanting seeds, make squash, which generally have shorter tion and control options. sure immature or baby plants have days to maturity than winter squash. plenty of light so they do not become Edible portions A combination of winter and sum- “leggy.” Leggy plants get this name The flesh, seeds, and blossoms mer squash is great for areas that can because of elongated stems that can be eaten on squash plants. accommodate summer and winter are formed when plants try to reach Squash have male and female flowers squash varieties throughout the grow- for light. Leggy plants are often less on plants. Eating the female flowers ing season. structurally sound and can have is- will decrease production. The male Squash planting and care sues once transplanted. Transplants flowers have a stem that is longer Squash seeds can be purchased, can be started in a multitude of fash- and thinner than that of the female but saving seeds is also an option. ions. Please refer to the article from flowers. Seeds can also be eaten. Fruits should be allowed to mature Barnyards & Backyards for starting Roasting or baking seeds is the most before harvesting, then clean the seeds indoors at bit.ly/starterseed. common practice. seeds free of plant flesh and juices Planting in hills or on level ground The skin and flesh of summer for proper storage. Seeds need to be works for growing squash. Plant five squash can be eaten, while most dried for several weeks in a dry, cool, to six seeds near each other and then people just consume the flesh of thin seeds to one or two plants. Hills winter squash. The flesh of different

26 BARNYARDS & BACKYARDS varieties will have different colors, Winter squash textures, and tastes. There are some Buttercup (95), Red Kuri (92), varieties of decorative squash and Waltham Butternut (105), Blue gourds that are not edible. Hubbard (110), Connecticut field pumpkin (100), Early Acorn (75), Table Some common edible squash Queen (80), Spaghetti (100), Boston varieties to try in the home Marrow (105), Delicata (105). garden Make a splash of new colors (Numbers in parenthesis are days and textures in your garden with to maturity) squash. There are endless variet- Summer squash ies to experiment with, so don’t feel Yellow crookneck (58), Black frustrated if you do not succeed right Beauty Zucchini (48), Cosmos (60), away. Contact your local University of yellow, green, or white scallop Wyoming Extension office or Master (50-60), Saffron (50), Lemon (60), Gardener chapter If you have more Cocozelle (50), questions related to growing squash in Wyoming. Mini squash at flower base identifies this as a female flower rather than male.

You’ve previously read about Brian Sebade’s appetite for selected weeds, and he’s also a wise green bean and carrot grower. Add squash to his vegetable toolbox. Sebade is the University of Wyoming Extension educator based in Albany County and serving southeast Wyoming. He can be reached at (307) 721-2571 or [email protected].

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