Summer squash are tender, warm-weather crops. Summer squashes include crookneck, pattypan, straightneck, scallop, vegetable marrow, and zucchini. Sow summer squash indoors 4 to 3 weeks before the last expected frost in spring. Sow summer squash outdoors when the soil temperature has warmed to 70°F (21°C). Protect squash in the garden from cool temperatures with row…
Summer Squash
Melon, Squash, and Cucumber Growing Success Tips
Melons, squash, and cucumbers grow best where the summer is hot, dry, and almost always sunny. The best flavored of these gourd family (Cucurbitaceae) crops will come from the hottest growing regions. Both cloudy and rainy weather will slow and all but stop Cucurbit growth. Heat Requirements Melons, squash, and cucumbers grow best when both…
Squash Blossoms Sautéed or Deep Fried
You can prepare, sauté or deep fry, and serve squash blossoms in 10 minutes or less. Squash blossoms—yellow-orange and delightfully bright–are a summer delicacy; they must be picked, cooked, and served in the same day. If you have more zucchini or other summer squash than you can eat, store, or give away, pick and serve…
Squash and Pumpkin Growing Tips
Squash Planting and Growing Facts: • Squashes and pumpkins are members of the gourd family. Summer squashes and pumpkins originated in Mexico and Central America. Most winter squashes originated in or near the Andes in northern Argentina. • Summer squashes–zucchini, patty pans and cocozelles (Italian for vegetable marrows)–have whitish or yellow flesh. They are the…
Zucchini Growing Problems: Troubleshooting
Zucchini in North America and Australia; courgette in France, England, Ireland, and New Zealand; zucchini in Italy: it’s the summer squash with the shape of a cucumber. Yellow, green, or light green, it is one of the easiest vegetables to grow–all it needs is warm weather. There are at least 50 popular varieties of zucchini….
Summer Squash Best Bets and Easy-to-Grow
Need top-choice, sure-bet, best-pick, easy-to-grow summer squash varieties? Here are 15 top-performers for the home garden divided into the 3 most popular summer squash types: (1) scallop or patty pan, (2) yellow straight or crook neck, and (3) zucchini. Keep reading to the bottom of this post and I will give you my tips for…
Squash Growing Problems: Troubleshooting
Squash growing success will come with a few simple growing strategies: • Plant several squash plants. This will ensure at least one is successful and survives pests and diseases. Stagger planting times or plant seed and transplants at the same time for continuous harvest. • Give squash the space recommended. Check spacing requirements for each…
How to Grow Zucchini and Summer Squash
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…
Patty Pan or Scallop Squash
Patty pan or scallop squash is a small, saucer-shaped warm-season squash that usually grows to no more than 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Patty pan squashes look something like a toy top. They can be white to creamy colored or various shades of green or yellow. Patty pans are less moist than other summer…
Costata Romanesca Squash
Costata Romanesca is an heirloom Italian squash often considered the best tasting and best textured summer squash. It is sometimes called cocozelle or ribbed Roman zucchini. It is also called courgette, marrow squash, and vegetable marrow. Costata Romanesca is an elongated squash with a dark green skin marked by greenish-yellow stripes that run its length….