Yellow Summer Squash
Cucurbita pepo
Squash are a popular staple of many gardens today! Below, information regarding general plant and growth information, harvesting, domestication, uses, and more are detailed!
Seed Harvesting Code: Yellow (moderately difficult)
Growing Code: White (easy)
General Planting Instructions:
Seeds should be planted 1" deep on a small hill of dirt 12" in diameter.
Seed spacing should be 4' apart for both hills and rows.
Squash prefer soil with a pH in the range of 6.0 to 6.5.
Squash require full sun, so between 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day.
Water your seeds once a week so the soil is moist 8" to 12" beneath the surface.
Successful in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 10, which includes nearly the entire United States.
Summer Squash can also be grown in a large plastic container at least 24" in diameter and 12" deep.
There should be at least one drainage hole at the bottom of the container.
Using a 3 to 5 gallon container can be a great space efficient option.
Squash roots are known to grow between 12" and 24" deep.
General Growth Information:
5 to 10 days until germination
About 60 days to fruiting
Warm Season Annual, must be replanted every year
Grows to about 3' tall and most are between 3' and 5' wide
Keeping fruits picked will encourage production.
Harvesting Seeds:
Pick a ripe squash.
Allow a period of post-harvest ripening by moving the picked squash to a shady location or indoors for at least 20 days.
Split the squash in half by shallowly cutting through the rind from top to bottom on both sides and separating the two halves rather than cutting directly through the center of the fruit.
Next, scoop out the seeds and separate them from the pulp as much as possible.
Put into a wide-mesh strainer and run the seeds under a strong stream of water to remove excess pulp. They can also be soaked in water for a few hours if the pulp is difficult to remove.
Immediately after cleaning, rinsed seeds should be spread out to dry.
Store seeds in a cool dry environment. A great way to store the seeds is in a paper bag!
Domestication History:
The genus Cucurbita, which contains 12-14 species including squashes, pumpkins, and gourds, is one of the earliest plant genus to be domesticated in the Americas. They were domesticated by natives roughly 10,000 years ago, and they were domesticated and spread rather quickly. This is believed to be due to a combination of humans selecting for thinner rinds, smaller seeds, and edible fruit and certain bees that apparently followed the human movement of the cultivated squashes into new territories. The species that contains summer squash is one of the 6 primary Cucurbita species cultivated and was developed about 5000 years ago in Eastern North America.
Uses:
Yellow Summer Squash are edible vegetables (botanically fruits) that are known for their bright colors, delicately fine flavor, and creamy meat.
While squash used to be a wild plant, it is now domesticated and widely cultivated.
There are many amazing recipes online, here are just a few!
17 tasty squash recipes: https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/yellow-crookneck-squash-recipes/
Keeping it simple by just lightly braising it to create smothered yellow squash with basil.
For an elegant presentation, you could also pick the young fruits with the flower still attached, steam lightly, and serve whole.
Health Benefits:
High in a variety of nutrients including:
Vitamins A, B6, and C, folate, magnesium, fiber, riboflavin, phosphorus, and potassium
Rich in manganese.
Manganese is known to boost bone strength and helps the body to process fats and carbohydrates.
Fun Facts:
Summer Squash, although often considered vegetables, are a fruit since it flowers and contains seeds.
Squash is part of what the American Indian tribes refer to as the “Three Sisters” alongside beans and corn.
Squash is in the same family as melons, pumpkins, cucumbers, and gourds.
Written by Julia Davis, Mount Aloysius Student 2023
Header Image Credit:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/435105-how-to-prepare-yellow-crookneck-squash/
Additional Resources:
How Do I Grow Summer Squash? Planting & Care Guide
Growing Squash in Containers. How to Plant, Grow, & Harvest Squash
References:
Gardenuity. “Growing Squash in Containers: How to Plant, Grow, & Harvest Squash.” THE SAGE, 15 Sept. 2021, https://blog.gardenuity.com/growing-squash-in-containers/.
“Grow and Save Squash Seeds.” Seed Savers Exchange, Seed Savers Exchange, 2023, https://www.seedsavers.org/grow-squash.
Hirst, K. Kris. “Was the Squash Plant Domesticated for Its Taste--or Its Shape?” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 8 Oct. 2019, https://www.thoughtco.com/domestication-history-of-the-squash-plant-172698.
Keating, Corinne. “Yellow Vegetables: 7 Healthy Options, Recipes, and Benefits.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 21 Sept. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/yellow-vegetables#yellow-peppers.
Lamp'l, Joe. “How Do I Grow Summer Squash?: Planting & Care Guide: Joegardener®.” Joe Gardener® | Organic Gardening Like a Pro, 19 Nov. 2021, https://joegardener.com/how-grow-summer-squash/.
Underly, Jill K. “Summer Squash.” Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/school-nutrition/pdf/fact-sheet-summer-squash.pdf.
