Squash are considered a warm-season vegetable. Warm-season vegetables are most productive in higher temperature ranges (late spring, summer) and are better able to grow and produce a quality crop through Tennessee’s summer heat. They are damaged or killed by frost and freezing conditions; even cool, non-freezing temperatures may prevent them from growing and yielding well.

Squash can be successfully planted in the garden by seed starting late spring or early summer (after the traditional spring frost date, which typically occurs in the middle to end of April) and can produce throughout the summer. If planting seeds, the seeds should be planted at a depth of 1 inch in the soil. A spacing of 12 to 24 inches between plants is ideal.

Read more about successfully growing squash in Tennessee, including cultivar suggestions and harvesting and storage here.