Planting Squash - June 11, 2013

During attempt #2, we are going to try to grow yellow crookneck squash and Waltham Butternut squash from seed.  We are going to try to "wide row" method I read about in an old gardening book by Dick Raymond.  I really hope this works with squash.  Dick is up north and talks about a bunch of stuff I can't grow in the summertime because it gets so hot in Georgia.

Online I am reading that I need to add some sand to my soil because my soil is a lot of clay.  Dick says I can use the back of the rake to smooth the soil on top of the wide row.  We've got a moat around the wide row, which I suppose I will keep filled with water every day (see below).

Yellow Crookneck Squash

Dog gone, I wish I had a soil pH tester to find out if my yellow crookneck squash is going to grow well.  A level between 5.5 and 6.8 is supposed to be preferable.

Seed depth = 2 inches
Seed width = 3 inches
Thin when 2-3 inches tall.  Just cut down the weaker ones because pulling on them may disturb the roots of the good ones.

Water once a day until strong and secure plants, then just keep water in the moat.

Fertilize at mid-season (for us this will be about July 6th as we are planting seeds on June 11th) by mixing low-nitrogen fertilizer in the water in the moat.

Days to harvest = 50 (July 31) to 65 days (August 15)

Waltham Butternut Squash

 Preferred soil pH  = 5.5 to 7.5

Seed depth = ½ inch -1 inch
Seed width = 18 inches apart  or  Plant 4-5 seeds per hill, thin to 2-3 plants. Space at least 3 feet apart

Days to germination: 5 to 10 days


Days to harvest = 75 (August 25) to 120 (October 9) days after germination, so add 5 to 10 days to each of those dates!


This squash could take over my garden they say!  Hum...I wonder if I should try putting down some landscape fabric for the plants to grow through like they suggest to ward of pests and disease.  Maybe pests and disease would be good to keep it from taking over my garden!

I better give this guy some room.  I'm going to put him on the edge of the garden nearest the constantly-flooding corner we've chosen to use for trench composting.