How to grow Summer Squash

Questions and Answers

How do you prepare soil for Summer Squash?

The Summer Squash is a Light Feeder and requires rich and either loamy ,or sandy soil with a lot of sunlight (6+ hours). The soil should be a pH level between 6 and 7.5.

How do you dry and store Summer Squash seeds?

Before saving seeds from your Summer Squash, make sure you’re dealing with a non-hybrid variety, otherwise known as heirloom. If you save the seeds from a hybrid variety you most likely won’t get them to germinate. Wait for the plant to be overripe before harvesting the seeds. This ensures the seeds are fully developed and mature. Once you’ve removed the seeds from the plant, put them in a bowl of luke warm water, put the seeds in and wait 5-10 minutes. The healthy viable seeds will sink to the bottom, the dead seeds and pulp will stay floating. Scoop up and toss the dead seeds and pulp. The next step is drying and storing the seeds. There are several ways to dry seeds, one of the easiest ways is to spread them out on a baking sheet. Once spread out, put them in either the oven in the middle rack with the oven light on (DO NOT TURN ON THE OVEN), or out where it will be hit by direct sunlight for 36-48 hours. When they are dried they will have shrunk a little and will be harder. After your seeds are dried, put them in an envelope with the name of the plant. Put the envelope in a jar or air tight container with a little bit of raw rice to absorb any moisture. Then put that jar in you fridge or someplace cold and dry.

How long do Summer Squash seeds take to germinate?

Summer Squash seeds take 10 days to germinate

How deep do you plant Summer Squash seeds?

The holes should be about inch(es) deep. Drop a seed into the hole and cover.

When can I plant Summer Squash

Generally you want to wait 2 weeks after the last frost date to plant Summer Squash. Although you can start the seeds indoors 6 weeks before the estimated last frost date.

How long does it take Summer Squash to fully mature?

It can vary based on plant variety, location, and health of the plant. But generally it takes 40-60 days to fully mature and start producing.

What pests should I watch for Summer Squash

Pests differ, but some common pests to watch for are Aphids ,Cucumber Beetles ,Groundhogs ,Harlequin Bugs ,Leaffooted Bug ,Mexican Bean Beetles ,Nematodes ,Squash Bugs ,Squash Vine Borer ,Squirrels ,Thrips