Gardening - Winter Squash
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ACORN
Roast these in the fall with some brown sugar in them and you have
yourself a nice treat. You can also microwave them. These will store
really nice throughout the winter if you have a place like an unheated
basement to put them in. Cool and dark is the way to store them.
Like the summer squash, these guys like full sun, well draining soil,
and unlike the summer bush styles, they can overtake the garden.
They can take up to three months to mature, so don't put them in too
late. Some will tell you an all purpose fertilizer, but we prefer the
6-24-24 for our squash. Put some under the seeds and have it well
covered. This will give them a nice start.
BUTTERCUP
These are sweet and easy to grow. It is surprising that more people
don't grow these delicious squash. You want these to be the deepest
darkest green for the best flavor. These squash are grown just like
the other squash and the same care should be taken. The more loamy
your soil, the more compost you have in your soil, the better your
squash tend to be. Not only in how they perform, but how they taste.
BUTTERNUT
These have been in my garden ever since I was a kid. Easy to grow
and they take the same care as the other squash. The fruits on these
plants can get really nice sized, up to five pounds is common. Nice
nutty flavor and best of all, it is super easy to grow. Not that the
other squash are hard to grow, its just these are really easy. Their
requirements parallel that of the other squash members.
CUSHAW
These are great pie squash. Yes, I said pie squash. Much like
pumpkins, these squash can get big. When I say big, I mean over 25
pounds if you keep the water to them. They are a bit sweeter than
pumpkins and I think make a better pumpkin pie. They also winter
over well in your storage place. As long as it is cool and dark. These
take a solid three months plus to mature, so get them in early, or
start them in the house.
HUBBARD
This is one ugly squash, but they taste fairly sweet. They are very
hard on the outside and store for quite some time because of this
hard outer shell. They take even longer to grow than the cushaw, so I
would advise starting these inside the house just in case. In Indiana,
we have enough summer to plant them in May and have them mature,
but getting that germination head start isn't a bad idea. You want well
draining soil and lots of warmth for these squash.
SPAGHETTI
This is definitely an odd duck. They are very good substitute for pasta
if you want to stay away from eating too much pasta. They last a long
time in the cellar as well. As with all your winter squash, it is best if
they are not touching each other when they are stored. These squash
are ripe in the fall when the skin turns a golden color. This squash has
a mild flavor, so adding some sauce, like spaghetti sauce, can really
make a big difference.
Roast these in the fall with some brown sugar in them and you have
yourself a nice treat. You can also microwave them. These will store
really nice throughout the winter if you have a place like an unheated
basement to put them in. Cool and dark is the way to store them.
Like the summer squash, these guys like full sun, well draining soil,
and unlike the summer bush styles, they can overtake the garden.
They can take up to three months to mature, so don't put them in too
late. Some will tell you an all purpose fertilizer, but we prefer the
6-24-24 for our squash. Put some under the seeds and have it well
covered. This will give them a nice start.
BUTTERCUP
These are sweet and easy to grow. It is surprising that more people
don't grow these delicious squash. You want these to be the deepest
darkest green for the best flavor. These squash are grown just like
the other squash and the same care should be taken. The more loamy
your soil, the more compost you have in your soil, the better your
squash tend to be. Not only in how they perform, but how they taste.
BUTTERNUT
These have been in my garden ever since I was a kid. Easy to grow
and they take the same care as the other squash. The fruits on these
plants can get really nice sized, up to five pounds is common. Nice
nutty flavor and best of all, it is super easy to grow. Not that the
other squash are hard to grow, its just these are really easy. Their
requirements parallel that of the other squash members.
CUSHAW
These are great pie squash. Yes, I said pie squash. Much like
pumpkins, these squash can get big. When I say big, I mean over 25
pounds if you keep the water to them. They are a bit sweeter than
pumpkins and I think make a better pumpkin pie. They also winter
over well in your storage place. As long as it is cool and dark. These
take a solid three months plus to mature, so get them in early, or
start them in the house.
HUBBARD
This is one ugly squash, but they taste fairly sweet. They are very
hard on the outside and store for quite some time because of this
hard outer shell. They take even longer to grow than the cushaw, so I
would advise starting these inside the house just in case. In Indiana,
we have enough summer to plant them in May and have them mature,
but getting that germination head start isn't a bad idea. You want well
draining soil and lots of warmth for these squash.
SPAGHETTI
This is definitely an odd duck. They are very good substitute for pasta
if you want to stay away from eating too much pasta. They last a long
time in the cellar as well. As with all your winter squash, it is best if
they are not touching each other when they are stored. These squash
are ripe in the fall when the skin turns a golden color. This squash has
a mild flavor, so adding some sauce, like spaghetti sauce, can really
make a big difference.
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