Squash

squash

Squash has about the same cultural requirements and problems as pumpkins, cucumbers, and muskmelons.

Squash varieties are divided into three classes - summer, fall, and winter. The summer squashes are used while they are young and tender, when the rind can be easily penetrated by a thumbnail. The fall and winter varieties have a hard rind, are harvested when mature, and are good for storage. Store winter squash the same as pumpkins.

squash

Common insects on this crop and pumpkins are cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and squash vine borers, which can be controlled with a general garden insecticide.

Crop Amount for 100
ft of row		 Variety recommended for use in Illinois Days to harvest Resistant to
Squash (seed) 1 ounce Summer
Aristocrat 53
Chefini 48
President 50
Spineless Beauty 45
Sun Drops 55
Early Crookneck 53
Early Prolific Straightneck 50
Seneca Butterbar 50
Pattypan 55
Fall Squash
Ebony 100
Table Ace 85
Table Gold 90
Table King 80
Table Queen 90 Bacterial wilt
Butternut 100 Bacterial wilt
Buttercup 90

       
Vegetable Hardiness Recommended planting period for central Illinois (b) Time to grow from seed to field (c)
For  overall
Use		 For
storage
weeks
Squash, summer Very Tender May 10-June 15 ……. …
Squash, winter Very Tender May 20-June 1 June 1 …

             
Vegetable Spacing in row
Seed to sow per foot Distance between plants when thinned or transplanted Distance between rows Planting depth
inches inches inches
Squash, summer 2-3 in row
4-5 per hill		 18-24, single plants
48, hills (3 plants per hill)		 36-48 1
Squash, winter 1-2 in row
4-5 per hill		 24-36, single plants
72, hills (3 plants per hill)		 84-120 1

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