Home Garden Squash Tips

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For the sake of advertisement, I do want to add that our Gordon Extension Lunch and Learn classes are going great. The next noon class will be on March 28 at the Gordon County Agricultural Service Center with a presentation on composting and mulching. The one hour class is FREE, but you do need to either email me or call the office to get on the list.

Our squash information will come from a UGA publication by UGA staff, Bob Westerfield and Malgorzata Florkowska.

For starters, I wanted to do a quick review on soil preparation for planting squash. We are too early to plant now. Squash like a well- drained area that is great in organic matter for planting. If the garden spot is a new area, you need to add 4- 5 inches of organic material and then till that material 8- 10 inches into the native soil. Ideally, you need to run a soil test to get accurate fertilization recommendations for your garden spot.

Summer squash need full sun and planted after the chance of a late frost has passed. It is suggested to plant 4- 6 seeds to individual mounds that are 4 feet apart. You will need to thin the mound down to 2- 3 plants after the plants have two leaves. You can plant squash transplants if you do not want to go the seed route. Winter squash need more room to grow than summer squash with 6- 8 feet between mounds. Winter squash need warm soils and can be planted a few weeks after summer squash has been planted.

Here are tips on harvesting of squash. Summer squash will normally mature in 35- 45 days. It is suggested to harvest summer squash at a young stage for best flavor. A squash size range would be 4- 6 inches long and 1.5 inches in diameter. Summer squash can keep you busy with harvesting every other day. Please note that our information states that the sooner you begin harvesting, the sooner new squash will form on the plant. You can store squash in the 45- 55 degrees F range for 2- 4 days.

Summer squash provides tons of options in the kitchen ranging from cooked, sautéed, used in soups and casseroles. Westerfield and Florkowska state that summer squash does not freeze well.

You have to wait a little longer to enjoy winter squash due to an 80- 120 day maturity range. You will know that winter squash are ready when the squash are fully colored, the vine starts to die back plus the squash rind is hard. Our information states that the rind will be resistant to fingernail scratching when mature. It is suggested to harvest mature winter squash with the stem attached. You can store in a spot that is 50- 55 degrees F and the storage area needs to be dark and dry. I will add that winter squash can be baked, steamed, simmered and even mashed. Winter squash can freeze well. Our information says you can peel, cut into cubes, remove the seed, cook covered in water until soft then mash and pack into containers leaving a 2 inch headspace in the container. It should keep for a year.

I would suggest going over the freezing details of winter squash with one of our UGA Family and Consumer Science agents prior to freezing winter squash later this growing season.

Squash can have their share of problems. Blossomend rot, which is a calcium deficiency, can be an issue. Blossomend rot can be pretty visible with a black rot area on the end of the fruit that can get worse. Hot weather, lack of moisture plus lack of soil calcium can increase the problem. Consistent, even moisture can cut the issues down. A soil test can help give you a liming recommendation that can help too.

Squash bugs and squash vine borers can be a problems, too. I get more calls on squash bugs. Squash bugs like to suck sap from squash leaves. This insect can really build a high population as the season progresses. You need to control this insect when they are immature. You can remove by hand or you can use vegetable garden insecticides labeled for this insect that are also labeled for squash.

For more information, contact UGA ExtensionGordon County at 706- 629- 8685 or email gbowman@uga.edu.