How to Grow Winter Squash
Winter squash can grow from a size large enough to be one serving on up to serving a table full of people. Furthermore, they take a long time to be ripe for harvest. If you want to know when to plant winter squash, remember that it takes 80 to 110 days to fully ripen. Therefore, growing winter squash means planting it as soon as the chance of spring frost is over so you have enough time before the first frost in late fall.
When to Plant Winter Squash
Growing winter squash can be done well into the winter, thus the name. These are hardy vegetables that can provide for you throughout the winter into the following spring. There are so many different varieties you can plant; some of them even make for a nice single meal when plopped into the oven by themselves with some brown sugar and butter. Some popular winter squash varieties include:
Butternut squashAcorn squashSpaghetti squashHubbard squash
You’ll know when to plant winter squash after the last frost is over. Just plant seeds directly into the ground. They won’t grow until the ground warms up, but getting the seeds into the ground first thing after the last frost is imperative since it takes so long for them to ripen. The best way in how to grow winter squash is to plant the seeds in rich, well-drained soil. Put the seeds into hills and once they come up and grow to about 2 inches (5 cm.) in height, thin the plants to three plants per hill, and put the plants three feet (1 m.) apart. This is how they grow best. Since they are vining plants, they do spread out, so soon you’ll see them take over each hill. As the vines come off the hill, you can weave them back on, but try not to overcrowd or move once the squash starts growing.
Harvesting Winter Squash
When you harvest winter squash, remember that these squash will last a long time indoors in a cool, dry place. Just thump the squash and see if it sounds somewhat hollow. This is how to tell when you should harvest winter squash. If it sounds hollow, it’s done! Just pick, store, cook, and enjoy!
