When to plant squash
Summer and winter squash are both frost-tender and grow fastest in warm soil. Sow outdoors one to three weeks after the average last frost, once soil is 65°F or warmer. Summer squash can be succession-sown every few weeks until about ten weeks before the first fall frost.
Winter squash (butternut, acorn, Hubbard) needs its full season before fall frost, so sow it as soon as conditions allow; summer squash is harvested young and is more flexible.
- Optional: start indoors in pots
- 2–4 weeks before last frost
- Sow seed outside
- 1–3 weeks after last frost
- Frost
- Frost-tender: killed at 32°F
- Soil temp
- 65°F (18°C) or warmer
- Depth
- 1 in
- Spacing
- 36 in apart, rows 60 in
- Harvest
- 50–60 days (summer), 80–110 days (winter)
Your dates for squash
Tips for growing squash
- Sow a second batch of summer squash in early summer: fresh plants often escape squash vine borer and powdery mildew that hit the first planting.
- Water at the base in the morning; wet leaves overnight encourage powdery mildew.
- Cure winter squash in a warm, dry place for 10–14 days after harvest to harden the skin for storage.
Choosing neighbours? See companion plants for squash. Working out how many fit? Use the spacing calculator.
Squash: common timing questions
Can I plant squash in June?
Yes in most areas. Summer squash needs only about 50–60 days, so a June sowing crops well before fall frost.
Why do my squash flowers fall off without fruit?
The first flowers are usually male and drop naturally. Female flowers have a tiny squash behind the petals; if those rot, pollination is poor.