Zucchini and summer squashes are frost-tender, warm-season annuals. The most popular summer squashes are crookneck, straightneck, scallop, and zucchini.
Start to grow zucchini and summer squash usually no sooner than 3 weeks after the last frost in spring.
Summer squashes grow best in air temperatures ranging from 60° to 75°F (15°-23°C); established fruit will ripen in temperatures as high as 100°F (37°C) but flowers will drop in high temperatures.
Squashes which include zucchini are a large group within the cucumber family, Cucurbita, and include gourds, pumpkins, and summer and winter squashes. Summer squashes are eaten when they are immature, usually when their skins are soft and thin; winter squashes are eaten mature after their skins have thickened and hardened. Summer squash commonly grows as a bush or smaller weak-stemmed vining plant. Squashes have large, broad leaves; 4 to 6 stems or short vines grow from a central root. Fruits vary in shape from round to cylindrical to scalloped much as their names imply: crookneck, straightneck, scallop, and zucchini. Separate male and female flowers appear on the same plant.
Squash Yield. Grow 1 or 2 summer squash plants per household member.
Plant squash in full sun. Grow squash in loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Prepare planting beds in advance working in plenty of aged compost. Add aged manure to planting beds the autumn before growing squash. Squash prefers a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.8. Summer squashes will sprawl slightly; if space is tight train them over small A-frame trellises.
Summer squashes are frost-tender, warm-season annuals. Sow squash seeds in the garden–or set out seedlings started indoors–only after the soil has warmed to at least 60°F (16°C), usually no sooner than 3 weeks after the last frost in spring. Start squashes indoors as early as 4 weeks before the last average frost date in spring. Sow seed indoors in biodegradable peat or paper pots that can be set directly in the garden so as not to disturb plant roots. Summer squashes grow best in air temperatures ranging from 60° to 75°F (16-24°C); established fruit will ripen in temperatures as high as 100°F (37°C) but flowers will drop in high temperatures. Squashes are warm-season crops and very sensitive to cold and frost. Summer squashes require 50 to 65 days to reach harvest.
Sow squash seeds 2 to 3 inches deep. Sow squash in raised hills or inverted hills 4 to 5 seeds set 3 to 4 inches (7-10cm) apart; thin to the two strongest seedlings. Space hills 6 to 8 feet (1.8-2.4m) apart. In rows, plant 2 squash seed 10 inches (25cm) apart in rows 3 to 5 feet (.9-1.5m) apart; thin successful seedlings in rows to 3 feet (.9m) apart. Thin seedlings by cutting off weak seedlings at soil level with scissors so as not to disturb fragile roots. Hills or mounds should be 6 to 12 inches (15-30cm) tall and 20 inches (50cm) across. This will allow plants to run down the hill away. Inverted hills–which can be used to retain moisture in dry regions–can be made by removing an inch of soil from an area about 20 inches across and using the soil to form a ring or circle. Plant 4 or 5 seeds in each inverted hill. Summer squashes can be trained up a fence or trellis. Set supports in place at the time of planting so as not to disturb growing roots.
Squash grows best in soil that is kept evenly moist. Squashes require a lot of water in hot weather. Plants may wilt on hot days as they use water faster than the roots can supply. As long as the water is regular and deeply applied, wilted plants will liven up as the day gets cooler. Squash that is wilted in the morning needs immediate water. Add aged compost to planting beds before planting and side-dress squash with aged compost at midseason. Side dress squash with compost tea every 2 to 3 weeks during the growing season. Avoid feeding squash with high nitrogen fertilizer, 5-10-10 is best.
Companion plants. Nasturtiums, bush peas, beans. Avoid planting summer squashes in the shadows of taller plants.
Zucchini and Summer Squash CareSquashes have separate male and female flowers. The first flowers to appear are male flowers that will not produce fruit. Female flowers appear slightly later and are pollinated by the male flowers commonly with the help of insects. If pollination is slow or does not occur, use a soft-bristled brush to dust inside a male flower then carefully dust the inside of a female flower (a female flower will have an immature fruit on its stem, a male won’t).
Once fruits form set each one on a wooden plank so that it does not have direct contact with the soil; this will allow squashes to mature with less exposure to insects.
Bush-type summer squash can be grown in containers. Sow 2 or 3 seeds in the center of a 10-inch (25cm) container; thin to the strongest seedlings once plants are 3 to 4 inches (7-10cm) tall. Extend the growing season by planting early and moving pots indoors when frost threatens. Set a cage or trellis in place at planting to save space.
Pests. Squash can be attacked by squash bugs, squash borers, and cucumber beetles. Handpick or hose away beetles. A small hole in the stem or unexplained wilting may indicate the presence of borers. Slit the stem, remove the borers, and dispose of them. Cover the slit stem with soil to encourage root development from that point.
Squash borers or bacterial wilt can cause squash plants to suddenly wilt and die just as they begin to produce. Bacterial wilt can be spread to squash by cucumber beetles; handpick and destroy cucumber beetles.
Diseases. Squashes are susceptible to bacterial wilt, mosaic virus, and mildew. Plant disease-resistant varieties. Keep the garden clean and free of debris where diseases and pests may harbor. Water at the base of plants to keep water off the foliage, and do not handle plants when they are wet to avoid the spread of fungal spores. Remove and destroy infected plants before they spread the disease to healthy plants.
More on diseases and pests: Zucchini and Squash Growing Problems: Troubleshooting.
Zucchini and Summer Squash HarvestSummer squashes are ready for harvest 50 to 65 days from sowing. Pick summer squashes young when rinds are still tender and before seeds have formed. Harvest zucchini and crookneck varieties when they are 5 to 10 inches (12-25cm) long (4 to 7 inches/10-17cm long for yellow varieties); harvest scallop and round types when they are 3 to 5 inches (7-12cm) in diameter. Break the squashes from the stem, or use a clean knife to cut the fruit away. Do not let summer squash mature; that will suppress flowering and reduce the yield.
Squash flowers are edible. Pick and eat male flowers so as not to reduce the productivity of the plants. Squash flowers are often dipped in a batter and deep-fried.
Storing and Preserving Zucchini and Summer Squash. Summer squashes will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. Do not wash squashes until you are ready to use them. Cooked squash can be frozen, canned, pickled or dried.
More harvest and kitchen tips: Summer Squash: Kitchen Basics.
• Crookneck: Aztec (55 days); Bandit; Crescent (53 days); Early Summer Yellow (53 days); Golden Dawn; Horn of Plenty; Medallion; Milano (42 days); Sundance (52 days); Supersett (50 days).
• Straightneck: Butterstick (50 days); Early Prolific (50 days); Enterprise; Gold Slice; Goldbar (50 days); Multipik; Precious; Seneca Prolific (51 days); Sunbar (43-54 days).
• Scallop or pattypan: Benning’s Green Tint (54-63 days); Butter Scallop (50 days); Golden Bush (68 days); Patty Pan (50 days); Peter Pan (60 days); Scallopini (60 days); Sunburst (50 days); Yellow Custard (50 days).
• Zucchini: Ambassador (55 days); Aristocrat (48 days); Arlesa (45 days); Black Beauty (58 days); Black Jack (55 days); Chefini (51 days); Clarimore Lebanese (44 days); Cocozelle (striped-45 days); Condor (48 days); Costata Romanesca (80 days); Dark Green (44-60 days); Elite; Embassy (49 days); Gold Rush (50 days); Golden Dawn (45 days); Goldfinger (41 days); Greyzini (55 days); Jackpot; Lebanese Light Green (40 to 50 days); Magda (45 days); Midnight; Milano (42 days); Onyx; Raven (42 days); Ronde de Nice (45 days); Round Green (52 days); Seasons; Seneca (47 days); Spacemiser; Spineless Beauty; Tatume (52 days) ; Tipo (55 days); Viceroy.
More on squash you can grow: Summer Squash Varieties: Best Bets and Easy-to-Grow.
Common name. Summer squash, crookneck, pattypan, straightneck, scallop, zucchini.
Botanical name. Cucurbita species.
Origin. American tropics
Grow 80 vegetables: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS’ GUIDE
One of the most versatile squash out there is the pink banana squash. It can be grown as a summer squash, harvested at that time and eaten raw. Or, you can wait patiently for fall harvest and use it just like a butternut — sautéed, steamed or roasted, and then use it alone or in casseroles, soups and even in pies! What is Banana Squash? With this dizzying array of uses, I’m sure the question, “What is banana squash?” is foremost in your mind as well as how to
Pimpinella anisum Lots of herbs – such as dill and fennel – have that gorgeous anise-like flavor, but anise is the OG. A member of the Apiaceae family, this plant is usually the source of that anise flavor that we know and love in liqueurs, gum, candy, and baked goods. Insects love this frilly herb, too. It’s a food source for several species of moths and butterflies, including black swallowtails and the wormwood pug. While it’s most commonly grown for th
Allium cepa var. aggregatum and A. oschaninii Lacking the sharpness of onion or the aromatic spice of garlic, the shallot somehow takes the best of both of those beloved alliums and blends them into one beautiful, sweet yet savory flavor. This unassuming bulb is used in a variety of cuisines around the world. It’s a staple in Sri Lanka, Iran, India, France, and Ethiopia, while in the US it’s something of a fine-dining delicacy. But it’s not so fancy you can&rsq
Do you love the fresh fruits of summer, but lack the garden space to grow your own? It’s time you considered growing zucchini in a container. These delicious, nutritious hallmarks of summer grow perfectly well in a pot on the patio. This may come as a surprise, given how large zucchini vines can grow in the garden, but it’s true! Zucchini comes in two types: bush and vining. Vining varieties are the ones that spread out many feet along the ground in all directio