Planting

Yellow Squash

Planting Time Yellow Squash is a sun-lover and hotter than a two-dollar pistol. Do not plant it until the soil is warmer than $70^\circ\text{F}$ . Plant seeds or transplants in late spring or early summer.

Depth & Spacing Plant seeds one inch deep in hills or rows. Thin to 2 plants per hill. Space plants 3 to 4 feet apart, or 3 feet apart in rows. They need room to sprawl like a family on a picnic blanket.

Soil & Fertilization Yellow Squash loves rich, well-drained soil with a heap of compost mixed in. Feed them a balanced fertilizer when the plants start blooming. Avoid heavy nitrogen fertilizer or you will get big leaves and little squash.

Watering Needs Water steadily and deep. Give them about 1 inch of water per week. Water at the base, keeping the leaves dry to avoid mildew. Mulching helps keep the soil moist and cool.

Sunlight Requirements Full sun all the time. Six to eight hours minimum.

Harvesting Harvest squash when they are small and tender, typically six to eight inches long. The smaller, the sweeter. Check daily because they grow faster than a politician’s promise.

Troubleshooting Watch out for squash bugs and squash vine borers. Squash vine borers will kill the plant overnight. Cover new transplants with row covers to deter the pests.

Captain Greenhouse Tip Yellow Squash can be hand-pollinated in the greenhouse for bigger fruit. Use a small paintbrush to move pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers.