For many , growing and harvesting yellowish and zucchini squash epitomizes summertime . Winter ’s little days and cold atmospheric condition have many longing for the garden . While the memory of cutting off those fond yellow squash may step up that longing , it help to remember bound planting is just around the corner .

The parole “ squash vine ” comes from the Massachuset Amerindic wordaskutasquash , mean “ feed in the altogether or uncooked . ” While we usually enjoy our squash rackets cooked , summer squash vine is easily enjoyed bare-assed . The tenderness of summertime squash is attributable to being glean when immature . If left to suppurate , it would develop a hard rind that is not usually eatable . Many gardener have experience this , when a green zucchini evades espial and grows into a vast fruit in just a few days . Winter squash is , in fact , bequeath on the vine to develop a gruelling skin that increase its ability to maintain gall when stored for months .

Summer squash(Cucurbita pepo)is usually one of the easiest and most prolific crop to acquire . The 3 independent types of summer squash vine include yellow , both straight neck andcrookneck ; green , hoary or yellow zucchini ; and white patty pan , saucer - shaped orscalloped . There are many variety and cultivars deliver dissimilar yield shapes andcolors , and some cultivars are more disease - resistant . NC State Ext / Basics for farm Squash .

harmonize to Virginia Tech’sVegetable Planting Guide , you could plant squash in your garden afterthe last outflow frost date . bet on where you hold up in Virginia , that could be anytime between April 15th and May 15th . Albemarle County ’s hardiness zona was recently interchange from 7a to 7b , and the lastspring Robert Frost date is now estimated to be between April 5th and April 15th .

However , squash grow best if the temperature is at least 65 ° -70 ° F . This is one of thereasons that squelch is ordinarily embed in “ mound . ”Not only does this supporter to warm up thesoil , it also promotes good drainage . works 3 - 4 seeds per hill , and leave 3’-4 ’ betweenhills . If you plant in rows , give several invertebrate foot between flora and 4’-5 ’ feet between rows . Although summertime squash is not vining , the plants become very big . Many stem willcome in contact with the grease and develop root to help cater water and nutrient tothe plant life .

Squash is easily forthwith inseminate in the garden , but if you decide to maturate transplants , startyour flora indoors 3 weeks before your last frost date . habituate a soilless seminal fluid starting mixand transplant into the garden when they have developed their first dead on target leaves ( the leafage thatdevelop after the cotyledons or seed leaves . ) Keep them in a warm , sunny window . A heating tablet and grow lights can be used if you do not have an ideal placement .

place a patrician fan on the young seedling will serve them break strong , resilientstems . You ’ll ask to “ harden off ” the plant life before transfer them to your garden . To do this , send the plants out of doors for an 60 minutes on the first daytime and increase the timeoutside until they have acclimatize . You may need to shelter them from direct sunlight , depending on the temperature and how they stand the outdoors . Give them a week toadapt , before moving them to your garden . Be sure to comprise some compost intoyour ground before plant .

Your squash plants will need at least 6 hr of sun a day , but they prefer 8 - 10 hour . to boot , mash will require at least 1 inch of piss each calendar week . try out to waterregularly , in the morning , and keep the watercourse at the foundation of the industrial plant . If the weather isparticularly hot and dry , as we often experience in central Virginia summers , your plantswill need extra water to continue to produce fruit .

When reap your squash , be certain to cut the stem to avoid damage the plant . The more you harvest the immature fruit , the more yield your plant will raise . Naturally , plant desire to produce seeds and young , so once mature seminal fluid areproduced , the plant will lessen production .

alas , squash plants , like many garden plant life , can fall dupe to a host ofdiseases and pestis . They can be unmanageable to manage and continue to maintain anorganic garden . Below are some methods for battle two of the mosttroublesome : the squash vine borer(Melittia cucurbitae)and the squash bug(Anasa tristis).you could translate about other pests and disease by visiting the linksprovided at the ending of this article .

Additionally , If you want a longer crop window , you may want to plant few industrial plant atfirst , and then institute again every two or three workweek . Eventually , your successiveplantings will outlive the insect blighter .

Both the squash vine borer and the squash bug overwinter , vine stone drill as a pupa orpupa in cocoon 2 ” under the soil , and squeeze bugs as adults under flora rubble , rocks , compost , or anything else they can find for shelter . nurseryman may be able-bodied to avoidthese pests by planting later in the time of year and thereby missing the insect ’s sprightliness cycle .

To prevent the vine borer moth from position its eggs on the stem , try enwrap the stemswith aluminium foil . If the vine bore bit is already present , use a sharp steel to cut halfwaythrough the bow of the works and extract and destroy the larva . Then , mound the soilup around the wound so it can cure .

The squash rackets bug is a mo more difficult to mete out with , but they wo n’t kill your plants asquickly as the vine rock drill . However , once the bugs become established , your plants will decline quickly . Again , consider planting afterwards in the season . In our area , gardeners can plant in mid- tolate June and mayhap experience few or no squash hemipteran . They will still have anabundant harvest and enough time to plant successive crops through mid- or recent August , with crop likely into October . Look for pictures and a dandy article on the squash bug at the link as the terminal of this clause .

If you choose to constitute early and take on the squash bugs , there are some ways tocombat them . First , run-in cover or a downhearted tunnel could be used until the flowers grow full . You ’ll wantto wait until you have plenty of manlike and female flowers . The manlike bloom will developfirst , and there may be quite afew before the first female flowers bloom . You ’ll know the deviation because the male bloom will be vertical , whereas the distaff flowers will be orient almost parallel to the ground . This helps the yield develop horizontally without snapping off as it becomes expectant . Once you have a few female flowers , you ’ll want to remove the quarrel insure so natural pollination can occur .

Whether you use row covers or not , you ’ll want to be persevering about looking for eggs onthe leave-taking . They will likely be on the undersides of the leaves , but some will also be onthe control surface . you may hit them by tearing off the piece of the leafage that has the eggs(they are too laborious to crush ) , or you may taste using some substantial tape to pull out them off . Thismay damage your leaves at times , but it will not be as much price as the microbe canmanage if left on the plants . Be sure to put the used tapeline in a plastic grip and disposeof it in the trash .

Squash bugs also care to hide under things , especially at night . You will discover themcongregating under leaves that are on the land . Because of this substance abuse , you could layboards or composition board under the plants . airlift the boards too soon in the morning , and squishas many bugs as you could . Make regular inspections of your plants , and you may beable to keep up with them long enough to harvest a good amount of squash vine .

I have discover I can smash many squash bug if I wet the plants with a easy spray ofwater during the heat of the day . The H2O appears to cause the bugs tocome to the surface of the leaves , most likely in survival modal value . They are more easilycrushed when they come out from hiding . Conducting this subroutine in the middle of the Clarence Day ,   allow the plant to dry before the cooler temperature of the night , thus avoiding mildew .

When the squash vine bug have become too numerous , or your plants begin to decline , itmay be time to remove them . Pull the plant out of the primer and place it in a largeblack plastic glass old bag . Look for squash vine bugs on the ground that will have fallen fromthe industrial plant and off them or impart them to the old bag . Twist the top of the bag unwaveringly , sono bugs lam . Leave it in the sun for a few day , and dispose of it in the trash . Never put diseased or pest - infested plant matter in your compost !

Most gardeners palpate a summertime vegetable piece is not complete without summersquash . While these plant are not without their troubles , they can test to be worththe effort . Online , you ’ll find an abundance of recipe melodic theme . When you receive your kitcheninundated with squash racquets , do n’t forget you may always apportion with your neighbour or a foodpantry .

Featured Photo : Gena Breakiron

source :

Virginia ’s Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide : Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant(note that this publishing has not yet been updated to reflect the modification in hardiness zones which occurred in the autumn of 2023 )

cucumber , Melons , and Squash / VA Tech Pub . No . 426 - 406

Squash Bug in Virginia Home Gardens / VA Tech

grow Summer Squash ( Zucchini ) in a Home Garden / University of Maryland Extension

Squash Vine Borer / VA Tech

sluttish Gardening : Squash / Aggie Horticulture / Texas A & M

Squash Bug in Virginia Home Gardens / www.pubs.ext.vt.edu / ENTO / ento-578 / ento-578