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Grow Winter Squash

You should grow winter squash as well as summer squash in the garden. Winter squash should be grown in the spring and summer, not in the fall or winter. Winter squash has a thicker rind so it will store during the winter in a cool, dry place.

You can find the seeds for our winter squash from David's Garden Seeds here.

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Grow Winter Squash 1/12-1/18/2026

If you’ve ever heard “winter squash” and pictured snowflakes and frosty vines, you’re not alone. As I said above, you actually grow winter squash in the warm season, just like summer veggies. The “winter” part is about how it stores and how you eat it later, when the garden is done.

In this guide, I’m going to walk you through how to grow winter squash in your backyard garden during summer—step by step, from seed to storage. I’ll also point out the common problems, because yes, squash can be dramatic.

First, let’s clear up the name. Winter squash is called “winter” squash because it has a hard skin and dense flesh that stores well for months. You harvest it in late summer or fall, then you keep it and eat it in winter.

So, what is winter squash exactly? It’s a group of squash that mature fully on the vine, develop a tough rind, and cure into long-keeping food. Think butternut, acorn, spaghetti squash, kabocha—and yes, pumpkins are winter squash.

Winter squash is not like zucchini. Zucchini is picked young and tender and doesn’t store long. Winter squash takes a long time, often around 120 days, and you wait for it to fully mature before harvest.

Grow Winter Squash - How Much Space?

Here’s the big precondition: you need space. Winter squash vines can run far, sprawl wide, and swallow a garden bed if you let them. The first time I grew it, I thought, “How big can one plant get?” Then it tried to take over my walkway.

The second precondition is temperature. Winter squash hates the cold. It will not grow well in cool or cold weather, and frost can end the season fast.

That means your timing matters more than you think. You want warm soil, warm days, and a long enough season for those fruits to fully ripen.

When you’re choosing varieties, look at “days to maturity” on the seed packet. If you see something like 95 days, that’s faster. If you see 110–120+ days, you’ll need a long summer or an early start.

Pick your squash based on how you want to use it. Butternut is great for soups and roasting, acorn is easy to bake in halves, spaghetti squash is fun as “noodles,” and pumpkins are perfect if you want carving plus pies.

Grow Winter Squash - Where?

Now let’s talk location. Winter squash wants full sun—more sun means stronger plants and better ripening. Aim for the sunniest part of your yard.

Grow Winter Squash - Soil

Next is soil. You don’t need fancy soil, but you do need soil that drains well and has plenty of organic matter. Squash likes rich ground because it’s building big leaves, long vines, and heavy fruit.

If your soil is hard or clay-heavy, loosen it and mix in compost. If you garden like I do—always trying to improve “next year’s bed”—winter squash is a great reason to finally add that extra compost.

A classic way to plant winter squash is in mounds or hills. The mound warms up faster, drains better, and gives the plant a strong start.

Plan for spacing up front. Read the seed packet, but as a general rule, give each plant a lot of room. Crowding leads to tangled vines, poor airflow, and more pest and disease stress.

If you’re short on space, you can train some types on a sturdy trellis, but it takes commitment. The fruits can get heavy, and you may need slings to support them.

Grow Winter Squash - Starting Indoors

Most gardeners start winter squash from seed because it grows quickly once it’s warm. You can direct sow (plant seeds right in the garden) after the danger of frost is past and soil has warmed.

If your summer is short, you can start seeds indoors to gain time. Just don’t start too early, because squash seedlings don’t love being stuck in small pots for long.

When you start indoors, use individual pots so you don’t have to separate roots. Squash roots don’t like being disturbed.

Plant seeds about 1 inch deep. Keep them warm and evenly moist. Once they sprout, give them bright light so they don’t stretch and flop over.

Grow Winter Squash - Hardening Off

Before planting outside, harden them off. That means you slowly introduce them to outdoor sun and wind over about a week so they don’t get shocked.

Grow Winter Squash - How To Direct Sow

For direct sowing outdoors, plant a few seeds per spot and thin to the strongest plant. It feels a little ruthless, but it gives you the best chance for a healthy vine.

Don’t rush planting. Cold soil can stall seeds and stress young plants. If nights are still chilly, wait—winter squash wants steady warmth.

Right after planting, water gently but thoroughly. The goal is moist soil, not soggy soil. Soggy soil can rot seeds before they even sprout.

As vines grow, you’ll notice they take off fast. One week you’ll see a few leaves, and the next week you’ll be stepping over vines like they’re garden ropes.

Grow Winter Squash - Water, Fertilizer, & Mulch

Water is one of the biggest success factors. As a simple target, many gardeners aim for about 1 inch of water per week, counting rain, and a bit more during hot, dry spells.

Water deeply rather than sprinkling a little every day. Deep watering encourages deeper roots, and it helps the plant handle heat better.

Try to keep water off the leaves when you can, especially later in the season. Wet leaves can invite disease, and squash leaves are basically umbrellas that stay damp longer than you’d think.

Mulch helps a lot. Straw, shredded leaves, or compost can hold moisture in the soil, reduce weeds, and keep the fruit cleaner as it rests on the ground.

Feeding matters, but you don’t need to overdo it. Compost at planting time goes a long way. Too much high-nitrogen fertilizer can make the plant go wild with leaves and vines but set fewer fruits.

Grow Winter Squash - Pollination

As the season moves on, you’ll see big yellow-orange flowers. Squash plants make both male and female flowers, and the female flowers have a tiny baby fruit behind them.

Pollination is a make-or-break moment. Bees usually handle it, but if you see flowers dropping without fruit growing, poor pollination could be the reason.

You can hand-pollinate if needed. I’ve done this on calm mornings when bee activity was low. You move pollen from a male flower to a female flower, and it can save your harvest.

Grow Winter Squash - Problems

Now, let’s talk about the real-life problems people run into growing winter squash. The big ones are pests, diseases, and space management.

Squash vine borers are one of the worst pests in many areas. You might see a plant suddenly wilt even though it was fine yesterday. That fast collapse is a classic warning sign.

Squash bugs are another common problem. They can cluster under leaves and weaken plants over time. Check under leaves and deal with them early, because they don’t politely go away.

Cucumber beetles can also show up and chew leaves and flowers. Row covers early in the season can help, but you must remove covers once flowering starts so pollinators can reach the blooms.

Powdery mildew is a common disease later in summer. It looks like white dust on the leaves. It often shows up when nights get cooler and airflow is poor.

You can reduce disease by giving plants space, avoiding overhead watering, and removing badly infected leaves. Also, don’t plant squash in the same spot every year if you can rotate beds.

Another issue is fruit rot where the squash touches wet soil. That’s one reason mulch is helpful. Some gardeners even slip a small board or piece of cardboard under each fruit.

Grow Winter Squash - General Care

While the vines are growing, guide them where you want them. You can gently redirect a vine so it doesn’t run into your beans or block your path.

You’ll also want to weed early. Once the vines fill in, they shade the ground and weeds slow down, but early weed pressure can set plants back.

As fruits form, it’s normal for the plant to drop some. But if you’re losing lots of baby squash, look at water swings, heat stress, or pollination issues.

Grow Winter Squash - Harvesting

You’ll know winter squash is getting close when the fruit colors up and the rind starts to harden. Unlike summer squash, you are not aiming for “small and tender.”

Harvest timing is huge for storage. You want mature squash with a hard rind. If you harvest too early, it won’t store well and the flavor can be bland.

A simple test is to press a fingernail into the rind. If it punctures easily, it’s not fully mature. If the rind resists, you’re getting close.

Harvest before a hard frost. Light frost can sometimes be survived, but cold damage can ruin storage quality. Remember: winter squash does not grow in cold weather, and it also doesn’t like cold at the finish line.

When you harvest, use pruners or a knife and leave a few inches of stem attached. Don’t carry squash by the stem like a handle—stems can snap and create a rot entry point.

Handle fruits gently. Bruises and nicks can turn into soft spots later in storage. I like to set them down like I’m placing eggs, not tossing basketballs.

Grow Winter Squash - Curing

After harvest comes curing, which is a fancy word for “let the skin toughen and small wounds heal.” Curing improves storage life for many winter squash types.

Cure in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place out of direct rain. Once cured, move squash to a cool, dry storage area.

Grow Winter Squash - How To Store It & Cook It

This is the part people love: it stores well, so you don’t have to refrigerate it or use it right away. Many winter squash keep for weeks to months in a cool storage space, as long as they’re dry and unbruised.

During storage, check them now and then. If one starts to soften or show a bad spot, use that one first so it doesn’t spoil the rest.

Now let’s get to the fun part: cooking winter squash. The easiest method is roasting—cut it (carefully), scoop seeds, oil it lightly, and roast until tender. You can slice it thin and air fry it, too!

You can also cook it by steaming, baking whole (with a few vent holes), or turning it into soup. Cooked squash freezes well too, so if you get a mountain of it, you’ve got options.

Once you’ve done it once, you’ll see why gardeners keep coming back to it: you plant in summer, you harvest in fall, and you eat cozy meals deep into winter. That’s the real secret behind how to grow winter squash—give it warmth, time (often close to 120 days), room to sprawl, and steady care, and it will pay you back for months.

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Monday, January 12, 2026

Good morning. It is 47° this morning as I put this week's page up. The sun is just now cracking through the clouds as it makes its daily appearance.

Today promises to be a busy day. I have been watching Justin Scarred make his first YouTube video since his best friend, Adam The Woo passed away. It has been three weeks and he is having such a hard time. Loss is hard. Pain is hard. 

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Tuesday, January 13, 2026

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Wednesday, January 14, 2026

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Thursday, January 15, 2026

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Friday, January 16, 2026

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Saturday, January 17, 2026

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Sunday, January 18, 2026

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Return from Grow Summer Squash to Year 7 Of Farm Life

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