Growing summer squash at home
This week, I will stick to the plan of talking about a vegetable garden item for the upcoming growing season.
The off and on warmer weather should remind us t hat gardening season will be here before we know it. Now is a great time to start making a plan for your gardening efforts. This is also a good time to conduct a soil test for liming and fertilization recommendations. Plus it’s an excellent time to study up on the insect and disease problems that can happen in squash production.
Fresh garden squash can be high in Vitamins A and C and also high in fiber. If you follow some basic tips, growing squash in the home garden should not be too difficult of a task.
I will be sharing information from a UGA publication by Malgorzata Florkowska, Bob Westerfield and Adrianne Todd, all of the UGA Horticulture Department.
For starters, we are going to stick with summer squash for this article. There are three types of squash in the summer squashes. Summer squash will grow on what we call non-vining bushes. The three types are the yellow straight neck or crooked neck; the white scallop or patty pan squash; and the oblong, green, gray or gold zucchini squash.
No matter the type, squash plants like soils that drain well and have good organic matter. The organic matter will help increase the uptake of water and nutrients. Our information states that adding compost or aged manure will give plants a good start. I will add that if aged manure is used it needs to be from a herbicide-free source. If the vegetable gardening site is new, you need to amend with 4 to 5 inches of organic matter and then tilled 8 to 10 inches into the native soil. For squash production, the pH should be in the 5.8 to 6.8 range with soil temperature in the 65 to 80 degrees range.
Keep in mind that you do not need to plant summer squash until the danger of frost has past. This is normally the middle of April, but this can be tricky. Plant four to six summer squash seed in individual mounds that are four feet apart. After the squash has two leaves, thin down to two to three plants per mound.
Transplants can also be used in growing squash. Make sure they have two to three mature leaves and a developed root system. Note that after plant seeds have germinated, you need to apply some type of organic mulch. This will help conserve soil moisture, reduce weeds and will keep the squash clean.
It is suggested to water newly seeded gardens daily and lightly for the first week. This irrigation tip will help with germination. When the squash is established, the water requirement is 1 to 1.5 inches of irrigation per week. It is also suggested that using soaker hoses or drip irrigation are the best ways to properly water the plants. You need the water to get 6 to 8 inches in the ground. Try to keep plant foliage dry with irrigation. Wet foliage can lead to disease issues. You will need to reduce watering once the fruit ripens to cut down on fruit rot.
I will suggest again to conduct a soil test on your garden spot for accurate recommendations. It is noted that fertilization of squash starts at planting time. If you do not conduct a soil test, you can apply 3 tablespoons of 5-10-15 fertilizer per planting mound at planting time. After squash plants begin to flower and you see small fruit formation, you need to side-dress with additional fertilizer per a soil test recommendation. Our information adds that organic fertilizers can also be used if you prefer.
After any fertilization, you need to water the plants completely to help with nutrient release. It should take summer squash anywhere from 35 to 45 days to mature. The best summer squash should be harvested at a young stage. The best size is in the 4 to 6 inches long range and 1.5 inches in diameter.
Harvesting summer squash can be a chore because you may have to harvest every other day. Note, the sooner you start harvesting, the sooner new squash will form on the plant. I will add that you can store summer squash at 45 to 55 degrees for two to four days. I will also add that summer squash will not freeze well.
One insect that can cause major issues in squash is the squash bug. I am sure most of you have seen a squash bug in the garden before. These insects will suck the sap from leaves on the plants. Damaged plants may show speckled leaves and the plants can wither and die. You have to control the squash bugs when they are immature. This can be done by hand removal or by use of suggested insecticides.
Another insect is the squash vine borer. The borer damage starts as an adult that will lay eggs in the lower stem of squash plants. The larvae will eat into the lower stem and can cause plants to wilt and die. Note, that if you know the problem is a squash vine borer early, you can actually cut the larvae out of the stem with a sharp knife. After removal, you can mound soil over the wound to hopefully start rooting of the plant.