A Beginner's Guide To Growing Winter Squash

Hey Guys,
I hope everyone is doing okay.

Winter squash is always a favourite on any homestead and with so many varieties out there it's hard to know exactly which variety to choose, and with this simple guide, I hope to make the process of growing winter squash as simple and as easy as possible.

When it comes to growing winter squash, always choose the variety that will best fit yours and your family's needs as there's really no point in trying to grow something that you're not going to eat or use. 

Winter Squash seeds need to be planted 1-11/2 inch down into the soil.
With warm soil,  winter squash & gourd  seeds will take 5-10 days to germinate.
Spacing need to be 12 inches apart if you're planting pumpkin seeds in rows, if you don't intend to plant pumpkin seeds in rows, seeds can be planted 4-6 feet apart in any direction.
It's important to remember when planting in rows to use double rows spaced 10 feet apart otherwise they will grow together. 

In order to grow winter squash successfully, it's important to remember that all varieties of winter squash must have access to full sun (at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day), and winter squash needs regular watering.

 Because winter squash need 70-100 days to mature (depending on the variety and the weather), it may make sense to start your seeds indoors.

It is recommended to start your seeds in peat pots that can go directly into the ground when the weather warms up. This will cause the least amount of stress to new seedlings.

If you choose to start seeds early, do so two to four weeks before the last frost day.

Some growers like to soak their seeds overnight, because it softens the outer seed covering and allows for faster and easier germination.

With winter squash; it's very important that you don't any plants until the vines start dying off in the fall.

Please Note: You should not pick winter squash until the first frost has hit as this will cause the starches to change to sugar flavour complexities