Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata, C. pepo
Botanical Name
Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata, C. pepo
Hardiness
Annual
Height
18 to 36 inches
Width
3 to 15 feet
Flowers
Mid to late summer: yellow, edible
Fruit
Many shapes, colors and sizes including acorn, spaghetti, hubbard, turban and butternut
Light
Full sun
Soil
Moist, well-drained, warm
Planting and Care
VINING: sow 4-5 seeds per hill 1 inch deep, allow 5-6 feet between hills and 7-12 feet between rows, thin to 2 or 3 plants per hill; SEMI-VINING: allow 8 feet between rows; BUSH: space 3 feet apart and allow 5 feet between rows
Harvesting
Harvest winter squash when the rind is firm, glossy and the portion touching the soil has changed from cream to orange.
Problems
Squash bug, squash vine borer, striped cucumber beetle, bacterial wilt, powdery mildew, viral disease, scab
Varieties to Consider
'Tay-Belle' - acorn type, semi-bush, dark green fruit
'Pasta' - yellowish cream fruit with good flavor
'Emerald Bush Buttercup' - bush type
'Pasta' - yellowish cream fruit with good flavor
'Emerald Bush Buttercup' - bush type