Why grow squash? Every gardener should plant squash because they are nutritious, easy to grow, and produce a high yield. Squash are a great source of vitamins A and C, and fiber. They are also very resilient and can produce a large amount of food, even in the heat of summer when other crops struggle.
Zucchini is especially fast growing, so it's great for short seasons. The plants will provide you with an endless supply of versatile zucchini that can be used to make spicy fritters, breads, stir fries, burritos, pickles, and so much more. Bonus fun: at the end of the season, you can save a couple giant zucchini for carving into jack-o-lanterns!
Winter Squash such as Spaghetti squash and Pumpkins are great to grow as they have a long shelf life and can be stored for months after harvesting! Be sure to let them fully ripen on the vine so that their outer shell hardens for long-term storage – store them in a cool, dry place with good air circulation.
Growing Squash is also wonderful as they have edible squash blossoms and seeds! You can throw any type of squash blossoms into soups like ramen, or make fried squash/zucchini blossoms! You can pick just the male blossoms (they don't have a tiny squash at the base) so you don't affect your squash harvests.
Native squash bees also love squash blossoms! You'll often find them sleeping in the flowers in the morning. So cute!
By the way, if you notice powdery mildew on your squash, pumpkins and cucumbers later in the season, don't fret, it is very common. Powdery mildew occurs when the soil is too dry or has inconsistent moisture – however, it is also natural as the plants age towards the end of the season.
Read more about Powdery Mildew on Squash & Pumpkins »
So don't miss out on one of the most productive vegetables you can grow in your garden and plant a variety of squash seeds in your garden!
