Unsuitable companions: Potato, Tomato, Brassica family
This plant produces balloon-shaped fruits with a blue-gray hue, weighing up to 30 pounds. Its orange flesh has a fine texture and sweetness, making it delicious in soups, pies, or steamed and baked.
Start your winter squash seeds indoors four weeks before the last expected frost. Squashes do not like to be transplanted, so opt for a large peat pot. Sow 2 seeds per pot and select the strongest when the time comes. About a week before the last frost, begin acclimating your plants to outdoor life. When the soil temperature is around 65°F (18°C), transplant them into a very rich and well-drained soil, spacing them 8 to 10 feet apart. You can also sow your seeds directly in the garden; wait for the soil to reach a temperature of 70°F (21°C) and sow them at a depth of 1/2 inch.
Ensure to keep the soil consistently moist, and feel free to use mulch to retain moisture, control weeds, and keep your squashes clean. When watering, avoid wetting the leaves, as mold and fungi can develop. Cover your plants if the temperature drops to freezing.
Squashes can be harvested as soon as the stem begins to dry, and the skin becomes too tough to pierce with a fingernail. Due to the risk of cold damage, they should be harvested before the first frost. Cut the stem with a sharp knife, leaving a length of 2-3 inches. Do not carry the squash by the stem; if the stem breaks, it can lead to rapid deterioration of the squash. Use it as soon as possible. Cure the squashes in the sun or a dry place until the stem dries; do not wash those you intend to store.
