SQUASH Tatume 3″ sqpt

• Summer squash are a warm season crop and are sensitive to cold air and soil temperatures, so make sure to wait to plant until the night time temperatures are above 55 and 60 degrees, usually after Memorial Day.
• Squash grows best in a soil with good drainage and a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.  Prior to planting, prepare the soil by incorporating a good quality compost and a balanced fertilizer. 
• Most of the summer squash varieties we carry are bush-type which take up less space in the garden than vining types. Space the plants 18 to 24” apart in rows that are 2 to 3 ft apart.
  • The ‘Incredible Escaltor’ and ‘Tromboncino’ are vining plants and can be grown on a trellis to save space. 
• Squash plants are sensitive to root disturbance during planting, so be careful not to damage the roots. We sell our transplants in peat pots which can be planted directly into the garden so that the roots do not have to be disturbed. Make sure that the peat pot is thoroughly moistened prior to planting. 
  • The rim of the pot that sticks above the soil should be carefully removed or completely buried when planting. If left exposed, it can wick moisture out of the rest of the pot causing the soil around the seedling to dry out too quickly. 
• Summer squash are vulnerable to attack from the squash vine borer, which is a moth whose young caterpillars bore into the stem of summer squash causing the plant to wilt and dieback. Covering newly planted summer squash with an insect row cover can help protect the plants during establishment. The row cover will need to be removed once the plants begin to flower to ensure pollination. 
  • Squash vine borer adults are flying and laying eggs primarily from mid-June through mid-July), so if you can keep your plants covered as long as possible, you may be able to avoid much of the egg-laying period.
• Note: If you are growing your plants in the same spot as last year and you had trouble with vine borer, the moth pupae are overwintering in the soil and will emerge as adults under the row cover! To avoid this, make sure to rotate your crops and choose a new location for this year’s squash.

Squash have high water requirements and a deep taproot, so regular, deep watering is essential for a good crop. Drip irrigation is an effective and efficient way to irrigate vegetable crops because the water is delivered directly to the soil where it will be taken up by the roots. Drip irrigation also keeps water off of the foliage which will reduce the risk of disease development.

• Keep the planting well weeded. Using mulch, such as cocoa mulch, straw, untreated dry grass clippings or shredded leaves will suppress weed growth and help retain soil moisture. 
• Note: If you have trouble with squash bugs, straw mulch may not be a good choice because it provides shelter for them.

• Summer squash is best harvested when small. Leaving large squash on the plant will cause the overall yield of the plant to decline and they have much larger seeds which makes them less enjoyable to eat. If you miss one and it gets too big, shred it to use in baked goods.
• Squash blossoms are also edible. Squash have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers are connected to the stem by a short stem, while female flowers are connected close to the base of the plant and have a small, immature fruit visible which will develop after fertilization. 

• Why does my squash plant have lots of flowers but no fruit?
  • Inadequate pollination could be one cause. If the weather is cool and cloudy, pollinators may not be as active. 
  • Cucumber plants have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers usually appear first, so even though the plant may have lots of flowers, they could all be male flowers. 
• Why are some of the flowers and small squash dropping off the plant?
  • Inadequate pollination will cause undeveloped fruit or female flowers to drop from the plant. Cool, wet weather will reduce pollinator activity reducing pollination.
• My zucchini have white on the leaves, is that powdery mildew?
  • It could be, but many zucchini varieties also have a natural variegation on the leaves that cause the leaves to have a silvery appearance which is often mistaken for powdery mildew. Powdery mildew looks well… powdery, forming a somewhat splotchy, superficial covering on the leaf surface.