How To Grow Summer Squash

How To Grow Summer Squash

Summer Squash is a seasonal vegetable that requires warm temperatures in order for it to grow nicely. We actually consume the immature fruit while the skin is still soft and edible. They are relatively fast producers not requiring a lot of space as heavy producers. Don’t grow too many plants or you will be inundated with squash.

Types of Summer Squashes

There are four different types of summer squashes.  Yellow summer squash, both straightneck and the crooked neck, grow like a small compact bush. Patty pan squash or scalloped squash are scalloped-shaped and can range in color from yellow, white to green.  Zucchini are straight and mostly dark green. The last is the Mideast or Cousa varieties; these are smaller than the zucchini and are lighter in color.

Squashes can go from mid-summer to early fall, producing continuously. They produce fruit and edible flowers that can be stuffed or battered and fried.

Growing Requirements

In Northern parts, planting season can vary depending on weather conditions, but temperatures should be above 60° F.  You can be direct seed or you can utilize transplants. If you direct seed, place two seeds per spot and thin down to one by cutting the extra versus pulling it. They germinate very quickly.  The warmer the soil, the better they grow.

Plant about two to three feet apart between plants and usually spread to about four feet wide. Because they tend to produce quickly, you can also plant them as late as mid-July. They require full sun and need well-drained soil with good fertility.

Watering and Fertilization

They require lots of water for proper fruit development; therefore, incorporating compost before planting is a good idea in order to help hold in the moisture. Using straw mulch helps keeps the soil moist, especially in the hot dry summer months.  Water the base of the plant and avoid watering the actual leaves in order to prevent the spread of powdery mildew.

For more watering tips see my video: https://youtu.be/7MJw3IJ2CG8

It is best to wait until the plant starts blooming before applying a side dressing or watering with compost tea.

Male Versus Female Flowers

Many varieties will send out the male flowers one to two weeks before the female flowers appear.  It is to attract bees needed for pollination. The female flowers need to be cross pollinated by the pollen from male flowers. But if there is a heavy rain period or if the temperatures get real hot, the bees don’t come out.  The result is that the flowers drop or don’t develop.

Plant a variety of flowers and keep the garden free of chemicals in order to attract the bees.

Harvesting Tips

Yellow squashes and zucchini should be harvested during the early stages while they are six to eight inches long and a few inches thick. The patty pan should be around five to seven inches wide.  If you allow the fruit to develop longer, a few things will happen: first, the seeds will harden and so will the skin, which make it tough to eat; secondly, the plant will stop sending flowers.  Purchase ‘Garden the Organic Way’ and become an expert gardener. The gardening book offers multiple topics and comprehensive list of vegetable plants, how to attract pollinators, as well as various topics that will make you an expert gardener. https://gardentheorganicway.etsy.com 

Squash plants quickly grow their fruit, which can easily become hidden under large leaves. Check the plant daily. They only store for about a week in the refrigerator.

For further reading about other summer vegetables take a look at my blog on other summer plantings. https://gardeningtheorganicway.com/vegetables/summer-plantings/

Insects and Diseases

Squash vine borer – if you don’t cover the plants, then the best way is to inspect them daily.  If you see any residue coming from the base of the plant, it’s probably the squash vine borer.  You can perform surgery on the plant and save it. To remove and kill the borers, cut the stem lengthwise.  Then, you wrap a cheesecloth around the stem. Most likely, the plant will be weaken but will probably finish out the season.

Stripped cucumber beetle and spotted cucumber beetle – the only thing I found that works is using row covers.  I use the lightweight ones during the summer months.  These beetles fly quickly, bury themselves in soil and spread bacterial wilt.

This video provides additional information on the use of row covers for insect control, including their availability in different sizes and weights, their effectiveness in preventing insect damage, and their role in protecting crops from pests and extending the growing season. https://youtu.be/w8Gp2QkqFXo