Growing Summer Squash - Benefits and Instructions

 

Benefits of Growing Summer Squash

  • Adaptable - Summer squash are fast growing and can easily be trained to grow vertically on trellises or tomato cages to save precious garden space.
  • Nutritional Profile - Magnesium, calcium, iron, Vitamin A and B6.
  • Use in: Soups, Stews, Curries, Baked goods.

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Growing Instructions

Culture:

Sun Exposure: Choose a full sun location. 
Soil:  A soil pH of 5.5-6.5 is best. Squash are moderate feeders; prefer a rich loamy soil of good fertility and moisture retention. Mix plenty of organic matter into soil. Squash love lots of nitrogen!
Moisture: Even and sufficient soil moisture is essential.
Planting: Plant after all danger of frost has past or when the soil has warmed to 21-27 degrees C as seed will not germinate in cool soil. Can be started indoors 3-4 weeks ahead of last frost date. 
Spacing:   Plant 1 Squash per square foot of growing space using Square Foot Gardening Method.  Or plant in rows 48-72 inches apart.
Sow seeds Sow summer squash 1 inch deep, 6 inches apart

 

Harvesting:

Harvest summer squash when they are 4-8 inches long and when their skin is still shiny. Harvest scalloped varieties when they are 3 to 6 inches in diameter. You can harvest zucchini and yellow summer squash as baby squash when the fruit is 4 to 6 inches long. Baby summer squash will be tender and tasty

Storage/Preparation:

Store summer squash by gently wiping the fruit clean with a damp cloth and then placing it in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.  Summer squash can also be frozen, canned or pickled.

Companions:

Corn, beans, tomatoes, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, nasturtiums.

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