Garden Vegetable - Squash, Winter

Botanical Information

Starting

Notes:

Requires a rich, well-drained moisture retentive soil and a very warm, sunny and sheltered location. Prefers a pH of 5.5 to 5.9, but tolerates up to 6.8. Moderate rainfall favors growth, but the roots of most cultivars are sensitive to high soil-water levels. The squash is a frost-tender annual plant that is widely cultivated, especially in warm temperate and tropical areas, for its edible fruit. There are very many named varieties widely differing in size shape and taste. Succeeds outdoors most years in northern climates. Plants are more suited to warmer climates and are only really successful in good summers. They do not do well in the farther north. Most cultivars are day-length neutral.
This species only hybridizes with other members of the genus under controlled conditions. Grows well with sweetcorn, radishes and nasturtium but dislikes potatoes.

Propagation: Seed - sow early to mid spring in a greenhouse in a rich soil. Germination should take place within 2 weeks. Sow 2 or 3 seeds per pot and thin out to the best plant. Plant out after the last expected frosts, giving them cloche or frame protection for at least their first few weeks when setting them outdoors.