Features of planting and caring for squash in a summer cottage

Patisson is an annual herbaceous plant of the Pumpkin family. It is recommended to eat young fruits, the taste of which is close to zucchini. There are few varieties of this vegetable. The difference between them lies in the color of the fruit and the timing of ripening. Growing squash can be carried out in open ground, in greenhouses, under film, in a greenhouse.

Patissons. The illustration for the article is used under a standard license ©ofazende.ru 519

Patisson: description of the plant

Patisson is a vegetable that has become known to mankind since ancient times. It is not found in the wild. This plant is a hybrid.

Patisson has an unpretentious character and actively bears fruit even in unfavorable climatic conditions. Its flavor profile, texture and composition are similar to zucchini. The only thing that distinguishes them from each other is their shape. Outwardly, the squash resembles a star or a flower, which is why it was given another name - plate pumpkin. Ripe fruits can reach up to 30 cm in diameter. They have a special taste when their diameter is no more than 10 cm.

Squash are also grown for decorative purposes. Breeders are developing varieties whose fruits are bright orange and bright yellow.

Not every summer resident is familiar with the rules for growing squash. A novice gardener may be interested in growing this crop from seeds. To obtain the latter, overripe fruit is used. They are removed from it, cleaned and dried in a warm, well-ventilated and lit room.

Young squash. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Features of squash

Patisson is a herbaceous annual plant that has a bushy and semi-bush form. Relatively rigid sheet plates are large. Yellow single flowers are monoecious and unisexual. Fruit shape. which is a pumpkin, depending on the variety, it can be bell-shaped or plate-shaped, and it is colored green, purple, white or yellow; there is also a variegated color - with spots or stripes.

This culture is valued for the fairly high taste of pumpkins, which are fried, stewed, pickled and salted. Their taste is similar to zucchini, but it is very delicate, so it can be compared to asparagus or artichoke. This fruit is a dietary product and is recommended to be eaten for diseases of the liver, stomach or kidneys, and it will also be useful for atherosclerosis. Patisson has a powerful diuretic effect, so it helps remove excess fluid from the body and wash away salt.

GROWING PATISSONS! AMPLIFIED HARVEST!!!

Lighting and temperature

Particular attention should be paid to choosing a place for squash. The area should be well lit, as shadow has a negative effect on the ripening of fruits. It is important that vegetables do not lack sunlight.

It is best to have garden crops on one side of the site that diffuse the sun's rays and protect from the wind. This will increase productivity and have a positive effect on the quality of the fruit. It is advisable to sow squash in a place that will be illuminated most of the day.

Collection and storage of squash

When the fruits reach “technical” maturity, the harvest can be harvested. If, while growing squash in a greenhouse or open ground, you leave them until fully ripe, the peel will become too rough and dense, and the seeds will become large. Such specimens are usually left for reproduction.

Squash is cut 1-2 times a week along with the stalk. This allows the plant to continue to produce until September. The last fruits are collected before frost, and the tops are placed in compost.

Freshly picked vegetables are stored for no longer than 10 days if the air temperature remains at +10 degrees. Squash with hardened rind is stored in the same way as pumpkins and zucchini. An important condition is that the fruits do not touch. For storage, choose a dark place with ventilation.

Soil requirements

Squash trees welcome crumbly loamy soil and black soil. Preference should be given to soil with a neutral reaction. If the soil is slightly acidic, you can balance it by adding wood ash. For this vegetable crop, fertilizing the soil is of great importance.

It is better to choose organic fertilizers as feeding agents. Before sowing seeds in dug up soil, you need to add semi-rotted manure combined with mineral supplements.

How to prepare for planting squash

If the dacha plot does not boast a large area, and it is occupied by other vegetable crops, you can grow squash in containers. Pots, plastic bags or containers are suitable for the latter.

Squash in the garden. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Useful properties of squash

In terms of chemical composition and beneficial properties, squash is superior to zucchini. Young fruits contain large amounts of carbohydrates, sugars (in the form of glucose), pectin substances, fats, and mineral salts. Squash differs in its content of a large list of micro- and macroelements: molybdenum, titanium, aluminum, lithium, cobalt, phosphorus, potassium, calcium. The beneficial compounds include more than 10 types of vitamins, including those from the group “B”, “E”, “A”, “PP” and others.

The rich chemical composition determines the usefulness of squash for a healthy diet and its effect on human health:

• squash – an excellent dietary product; • prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, hypertension; • lutein contained in fruits neutralizes the effects of free radicals, protecting the body from cancer; • helps strengthen vision; • squash juice removes excess salts; • normalizes intestinal function, etc.

Features of soil preparation

What fertilizers will be useful for squash depends on the type of soil in which they are planted. If we are talking about peat soil, for each square meter of land you need to add 2 kg of manure humus. In addition, you should add one bucket of turf soil. The soil also needs superphosphate and calcium sulfate (2 tsp each) and wood ash (2 tbsp each). Then you need to dig up a bed, the width of which will be 70 cm, and the depth - 25 cm and pour a bucket of warm Agricola-5 solution onto it. After applying fertilizer, the area must be covered with film. This will reduce moisture evaporation and retain heat.

If squash will be grown on clay soil, it must be fed with peat, humus and sawdust before planting. You will also need to add 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 2 tbsp. l. wood ash.

As for sandy soil, turf soil and peat (one bucket per square meter), sawdust and humus (3 kg per square meter) are suitable for fertilizing it.

When applying other fertilizers, you need to adhere to the same proportions as for clay soils. Fertile black soil must be mixed with sawdust (2 kg per square).

To feed the soil, you need to use superphosphate in powder form (1 tablespoon per square meter). Virgin soil fertilization is carried out in a different way. First you need to eliminate all roots and larvae of pests. Then for each square meter add 3 kg of compost, 1 tbsp. l. nitrophoska and 2 tbsp. l. wood ash. After replenishment is applied, the area is dug up and watered with Agricola-5.

Important! After completing all these manipulations, the bed must be covered with film. After 5 days, the shelter can be removed and sowing of planting material can begin.

The illustration for the article is used under a standard license ©ofazende.ru 520

Sowing squash seeds, planting seedlings

If you have chosen the seedling method of growing squash, then you need to adhere to the same rules as for zucchini.

Dry soil will have to be moistened

If the soil has been fed with a sufficient amount of fertilizer since the fall, before planting, you need to add 5 g of ash to the hole. Dry soil will have to be moistened.

Regardless of which method you prefer, seedlings or seeds must be sown or planted in a square-cluster method (50x50 cm or 50x70 cm). If we talk about the depth of planting material, it depends on the type of soil on your site. On light soils it will be 8 cm, on heavy soils – a maximum of 5-6 cm.

Autumn preparation

Growing squash must be carried out taking into account certain rules. The area for sowing is being prepared in the fall. After the previous crop and its plant residues have been removed, the bed is loosened to allow weeds to sprout. After 14 days, the place is dug up to a depth of 25 cm, and all emerging weeds are eliminated.

When digging the earth, add manure (10 kg per square meter), humus or compost (5 kg per square meter). To fertilize heavy soils, it is recommended to use more organic fertilizers.

Varieties of squash

There is a wide variety of squash varieties. The choice of variety determines the size to which the fruit will grow in closed ground or in the garden, and what properties it will have. Popular varieties:

1. Disk. Early ripening (ripens in 68 days). Weight of 1 fruit is 400 g. The white pulp is covered with a thin bark. Productivity reaches 6.4 kg per 1 m2.
2. White-13. The plant is highly branched and bears white fruits with pronounced denticles. The weight of one squash is up to 500 g. Productivity is up to 3.2 kg per 1 m2. The variety is popular due to its ability to adapt to any climate.
3. Tabolinsky. The fruit is plate-shaped, yellowish, weighing up to 300 g. Fruiting - 2 kg per 1 m2. Feature: resistance to powdery mildew.
4. UFO Orange. The harvest can be obtained 45 days after planting, collecting up to 5 kg per 1 m2.
5. Loaf. Ripens 2 months after seed germination. The fruits are plate-shaped, the edges are almost smooth. The color of the peel is greenish. From one bush you can collect about 25 large fruits.
6. F1 Tango. Hybrid from Russian breeders. Before ripening, 40 days pass from the moment of germination of seedlings. The flesh is greenish. Fruiting - 10 kg per 1 m2.

Spring training

With the arrival of spring, light soil is loosened earlier. The first loosening can be carried out to a depth of 15 cm, the second - 10 cm before sowing the seeds. At this stage, the destruction of emerging weeds is also carried out. When digging up the soil, organic and mineral fertilizers are applied: up to 6 kg of humus or compost, 40 g of superphosphate and 25 g of potassium nitrate.

Fertilizers are evenly scattered throughout the area and compacted to the bottom while digging. In the lowlands you need to create drainage, ridges and ridges.

The width of the beds will be 1 m, height – 30 cm. The ridges are arranged on the steep northern and flat southern sides. It is important that their height is no more than 35 cm. The distance between them will be 80 cm.

The seedlings are getting ready to move. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Harvesting squash

Harvesting can begin after the fruits reach 6-10 cm in diameter. Such fruits are suitable for preparing preparations for the winter. To eat, you need to wait until the squash grows to 10-12 cm. Stews and caviar are prepared from vegetables. Overripe pumpkins have a thick skin. Their pulp hardens and its taste is much worse than that of green fruits.

Harvesting can begin after the fruits reach 6-10 cm in diameter

Fertilizing the soil and preparing seeds before planting

Growing squash can be carried out by seedlings and seeds. Regardless of which one is chosen, the seeds must go through several preparatory stages.

First, the seeds are calcined in the oven at 50 °C. From such specimens more female flowers will appear, which will later produce ovaries. You can also use another method of heating the seeds. To do this, they need to be laid out on cardboard or on a battery. Warm-up duration is a week.

After warming up, the seeds need to be treated in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The next stage is seed germination. This process lasts two days.

To harden the seeds, they need to be placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and left in this place for 6 hours.

Seeds will hatch faster if you soak them in a stimulating solution. Experienced summer residents recommend using a natural remedy for this in the form of aloe juice diluted with water. You can also purchase ready-made stimulants: “Bud” and “Energen”. After soaking, the planting material should be washed, wrapped in damp gauze and left for two days at a temperature of 23 °C.

Growing squash from seeds

Squash bushes are grown from seeds, dry or swollen, and seedlings can be planted. The combination of such options will ensure timely ripening of fruits. In large-sized seeds, from the very beginning there is a large amount of substances useful for the development and growth of the plant, which will contribute to successful germination, which does not prevent taking additional measures that can stimulate growth.

Preparing squash seeds

Basically, propagation of squash occurs with the help of seeds, which can be purchased in a special store, and also extracted from well-ripened fruits. Squash is grown in open ground with seedlings or without seedlings.

However, no matter which option is chosen, before planting squash, it is necessary to prepare the seeds. To do this, you need to leave them for a day in an aqueous solution that stimulates the growth and general development of the plant, after which the seeds are thoroughly washed with water, wrapped in damp gauze and kept for a couple of days at a temperature of 25 degrees.

There is another option for preparing seeds for sowing: they need to be heated for six hours at a temperature of 60 degrees. This preventive measure will reduce the possibility of the plant becoming infected with viral-type infectious diseases, from which squash cannot be cured.

Excellent results can be obtained by hardening the seeds. To do this, the seeds placed in fabric bags, first, need to be kept for about six hours at a temperature of 20 degrees, and after that for about a day at a temperature of 1 degree. Immediately before starting sowing, you should disinfect the squash seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then rinse with clean boiled water and dry.

When to plant squash in the ground

In the last days of May, when the ground for the squash has been prepared and thoroughly warmed up since the autumn months, and the risk of frost returning has disappeared, the soil is leveled on the land using a rake, weeds are removed, ridges are formed and holes are dug with dimensions of 70 cm by 70 cm, so that the plantings do not become too dense in the future. The seeds are sown about 8 cm deep, several in each prepared hole, they are then covered with soil, watered carefully, the soil is compacted and covered with film material until shoots appear.

Sowing squash seeds

For those who want to harvest the fruit as quickly as possible, there will be no other option but to correctly approach the process of growing squash seedlings. Plants should be planted for seedlings in the second or third ten days of April, and 2 seeds should be placed in one cup with a diameter of 10 cm in the ground based on humus and forest soil to a depth of 4 cm.

Crops should be covered with film or glass and kept at a temperature of 30 degrees, however, when seed germination begins, the glass is removed and the temperature drops to approximately 22 degrees during the day and 18 at night. This must be done for the purpose of preventing the seedlings from being pulled upward and directing their forces to the formation of roots and cotyledon leaves. After a week, you can return to the previous temperature.

Preparing the soil for squash

The area that will be used for planting squash must be protected from strong winds; the plot of land should be located on the sunny side, in the south or southwest direction, where groundwater is deep. Also, crumbly chernozems and loams are suitable for active development of plants, provided that the soil must be alkaline. Land with high acidity is not suitable for squash; you can use wood ash to neutralize it.

Squash bushes will grow well in an area where cabbage, radishes, carrots, onions, herbs, tomatoes, peas, potatoes and other vegetable crops were previously grown. But after zucchini, pumpkin, cucumbers and, directly, squash, it is not recommended to use soil.

It is necessary to begin preparing the site for growing squash in the autumn: the soil should be dug up along with rotted manure and mineral fertilizer compounds:

• it is necessary to add two kilograms of organic substances to the peat soil, one dessert spoon of potassium sulfate and superphosphate and two spoons of wood ash per square meter for digging to a depth of 25 cm;
• in the autumn, when digging deep into the clay soil, a couple of kilograms of peat are added to the length of a shovel bayonet, humus and sawdust are also added there, as well as one spoon of superphosphate and two spoons of wood ash per square meter;
• in sandy soil it is necessary to add one bucket of peat and turf, three kilograms of sawdust and humus and the same fertilizing composition for squash bushes per square meter for digging as when growing them in clay soil;
• In the chernozem you need to add two kilograms of sawdust, one spoon of powdered superphosphate and two spoons of wood ash per square meter for digging.

In the spring, five days before the start of planting, the ridges should be watered with a solution prepared using two spoons of Agricola-5 and 10 liters of water, and the volume of the resulting product is calculated in the ratio of three liters per square meter. After this, it is necessary to cover the ridge with a film covering material, which is removed only on the day of planting the squash seedlings into the soil.

How to plant squash in open ground

Seedlings should be planted in calm, cloudy weather. Place holes with a depth of at least 12 cm at the same distance as during planting seeds in the soil - 70 by 70 cm, however, before planting the seedlings, water the holes with heated water, then transfer the seedlings with spits of earth into the holes and place them so so that the cotyledonous foliage is at soil level. Then soil is added to the hole, compacted, the ridge is mulched with peat and at first the seedlings are shaded from direct sun.

How to plant squash seeds

Before planting squash, you need to make sure that the land prepared for sowing in the fall will be well warmed up by the end of spring and the period of night frosts has passed. The soil on the site needs to be leveled with a rake, weeds removed and the required number of beds made. The size of the grooves will be 7 x 7 cm. This way the plantings will not be too dense and the squash will not rot.

Several seeds are buried 8 cm into the ground, after which the hole is covered with soil. After this, the beds need to be compacted, watered and covered with film until the first shoots appear.

Growing from seeds. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Place of squash in cultural circulation

Like other plants from the pumpkin family, squash in cultural rotation return to its original place after 5 years. Their best predecessors are cruciferous vegetables, nightshades, in particular potatoes. It is unacceptable to grow them by seedlings and seeds in a place that previously belonged to related crops.

The soil acidity level for squash should be within 6-7 units

How to properly care for squash seedlings

To obtain an early harvest of squash, it is necessary to resort to the seedling method of cultivation. Vegetables are planted for seedlings by the end of April. 2 seeds are placed in each cup, after which they are covered with a mixture of humus and forest ash in a 4 cm layer.

After this, the crops are covered with glass and kept until germination at a temperature of 30 °C. As soon as the first shoots appear, the glass must be removed and the temperature reduced to 22 °C during the day and 18 °C at night. If you do not maintain the temperature regime, the seedlings will stretch upward and consume excess energy. As a result, the root system and cotyledon leaves will not be fully developed. After a week, you can resume the previous temperature regime. Caring for squash requires compliance with certain rules. The soil must be moistened regularly. It is also important to fertilize it.

Ten-day-old seedlings must be fertilized with a solution of mullein with the addition of superphosphate infusion. 1 kg of cow dung and 15 g of superphosphate are diluted in 10 liters of water. All components are thoroughly mixed and then left to steep for 24 hours. Before sowing the seedlings into the soil, they are re-fed with a solution of nitrophoska (50 g per 10 liters of water).

Caring for seedlings. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Varietal assortment of squash for open ground

Squash is represented by numerous varieties and hybrids. Varietal differences depend on the appearance, color and weight of the fruit, and the ripening period. Growing squash in the form of a bush is common, although there are also varieties with developed additional shoots - lashes. The taste does not particularly depend on external characteristics; similar notes are present in all variants. Varieties are divided into early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening. Fruits of all ripening periods can be of different shapes:

• bowl,
• bell,
• disk,
• plate,
• with teeth,
• without cloves.

  Patisson variety Tabolinsky has the shape of a plate with small teeth

The colors of the fruits of this vegetable are also varied, sometimes so unusual that they can serve as a decoration for the garden:

• yellow,
• white,
• green,
• with stripes or spots.

  Squash variety Gosha has an unusual dark green color with white speckles and by the time of maturity becomes very dark, almost black

Early, ultra-early varieties and hybrids

They are valued for the short period of time that passes from the emergence of seedlings to the harvest of the first harvest, which is 35–55 days.

Table: characteristics of early and ultra-early varieties of squash

Variety	Color, shape	Fruit weight, g	Description of the fruit	Ripening time, days	Growing method	Cold resistance
Disk	White-cream, disc-shaped	300–400	The skin is thin, the flesh is crisp. No sweetness	45–53	Sowing in open ground - from the last ten days of May to the first days of June	Cold resistant
Umbrella	White, round, with small teeth	800–1100	The skin is smooth, the flesh is dense, the taste is sweetish	38–50	It is practiced to plant seedlings in April; transplanting ready seedlings or directly sowing seeds in the garden is carried out in mid-May	Cold resistant
Cheburashka	White, dish-shaped	250–400	The peel is thin, smooth, the flesh is dense, juicy, the taste is similar to asparagus and artichoke at the same time	35–40	Sowing seedlings - in early May, planting in the ground - after the end of return frosts	Sets fruit in all weather conditions
Piglet	The fruits are cream-colored, flat, with jagged edges	up to 250	The pulp is juicy, tender, white	40–50	Suitable for growing by direct planting in open ground in May or early June and for seedlings (late April, May)	Cold-resistant, long-bearing
UFO orange	The peel is rich yellow, disc-shaped	400–500	The pulp is yellow in color, juicy, the skin is thin, the taste is delicate	40–45	Planting in open ground - at the end of May or beginning of June	Cold resistant
Chunga-Changa	Green, disc-shaped, with jagged edges	300–350	The pulp is creamy, tender, juicy	42–45	Sowing seedlings - in April, planting in the ground - in May-June. Sowing directly into the ground - late May or early June	Cold resistant

Photo gallery: early and ultra-early varieties of squash

The squash variety Disk got its name because of its disc-shaped shape. The squash variety Umbrella has a sweetish taste. The orange squash variety UFO tolerates cold weather well.

Cheburashka variety squash is easy to peel due to its thin skin

The Chung-Chang squash variety changes color as it ripens from light green to dark green

Mid-season varieties

Technical maturity in mid-season squash varieties occurs when the plant reaches 50–60 days of age.

Table: characteristics of mid-season squash varieties

Variety	Color, shape	Description of the fruit	Fruit weight, g	Ripening time, days	Growing method	Cold resistance
UFO white	From light green to white, plate-shaped	The skin is hard, the flesh is tender, tasty, the seeds are small	400–500	55–60	For seedlings - in mid-April, in open ground - in late May or early June	Cold resistant
White 13	White, dish shape	Thin peel, pulp tastes like zucchini	400–500	58–67	Can be sown directly in open ground at the end of May or beginning of June	Cold resistant
Sun	Yellow, when biologically ripe - orange, cup-shaped with jagged edges	The pulp is cream-colored, the fruits are excellent for canning, the variety is high-yielding	250–300	55–65	Can be planted in open ground at the end of May, for seedlings - in early April	Cold resistant

Photo gallery: mid-season squash varieties

Squash variety White 13 tastes like zucchini

UFO white squash fruits have good keeping quality

Squash variety Sun changes color from yellow to orange as it ripens

Late varieties and hybrids

Squash are thermophilic. For this reason, in the Moscow region, where the weather is unstable, spring is often cool and summer is rainy, varieties and hybrids of late harvest are not widely used. The vegetative period of such plants is 60–70 days from the emergence of seedlings to the first mature fruits.

Terms and rules for planting seedlings in open ground

Planting squash seedlings in open soil is carried out in late April-early May, when the period of night frosts has passed. To provide protection to the crops, they need to be covered with film. You can use a thin spunbond, under which there is no need to build a frame; you just need to lay it on top of the seedlings.

The best time to plant squash is when the weather is warm in the spring. If the days are sunny, the first flowering can be observed within two weeks.

Properly prepared and strengthened seedlings, on which 2-3 leaves have appeared, are ready for planting. Seedlings should be planted early in the morning or after sunset. This way it will be possible to minimize the shock from a sudden change in

habitats. They need to be planted with a ball of earth from a glass into a dug hole. Seedlings should be shaded and watered immediately.

The squash should be placed at a distance of 80 cm from each other. Plants will not interfere with each other and will not experience a lack of sun. 521

Diseases and pests of squash

Squash bushes in the garden may be affected by diseases or susceptible to attack by pests due to improper care.

Most often, plants suffer from the following pests:

• melon aphid;
• spider mite;
• sprout fly.

Diseases that affect the crop are mainly fungal:

• white rot - fruits and shoots become soft and gradually rot completely;
• powdery mildew - you can see a white coating on the leaves;
• root rot - affects the roots of the plant, as a result of which the squash stops developing and dies.

For the prevention or treatment of plants, special preparations are used.

But remember that it is much easier to prevent the onset of diseases than to deal with severe consequences later.

It is important to remove weeds on time and water the plants properly. Excess moisture leads to the appearance of powdery mildew, fusarium, and mosaic.

In extreme cases, you can use drugs called Trichodermin, Alirin, Fitosporin-M, Gamair.

In this case, you must strictly follow the instructions indicated on the packaging of the drug. Do not exceed the indicated dosage.

For prevention, you can treat plants 2-3 times a month with biofungicides. They will not harm the health of people, birds, or pets.

Watering rules

Until the seedlings are firmly rooted, they will require abundant and timely watering. It needs increased watering during the period of active fruit formation.

Only warm and settled water is suitable for irrigation. The procedure must be carried out every five days. Per square meter you will need 8 liters of water. As soon as the flowering period begins, the quantity must be increased to 10 liters.

You need to pour water at the root or into a small ditch that can be dug around the plant. It is important to prevent water from getting on the leaves, flowers and ovaries. Excessive watering exposes the roots, so they need to be protected by adding mulch during the growing season.

Did you know? Due to the intricate shape of squash, they are not cut into cubes like zucchini. The middle is removed from them and stuffed. The filling for such a dish can be vegetable, meat, or sweet.

Watering rules. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.ru

Caring for squash

Squash growing in open soil must be watered and fed in a timely manner, and do not forget to systematically remove weeds. It is best to pull out weeds after the garden bed has been watered or it has rained. Weeding squash with a hoe must be done extremely carefully, because they have a superficial root system. Since the roots of such a plant are located almost at the surface of the soil, it is forbidden to loosen it, and it is also recommended to cover the bed with a layer of mulch (sawdust, peat, etc.).

If the leaves of the bushes are actively growing, but there are very few fruit ovaries, then in sunny weather in the morning 1 or 2 leaf plates must be removed from the plant, and this is done again after 4–5 days. It should also be remembered that for the formation of ovaries, such a crop requires pollinating insects; therefore, when the bushes bloom, it is recommended to attract wasps, bees or bumblebees to the area; for this they are sprayed with a sweet solution (100 grams of granulated sugar per 1 liter of water). If the plants still do not pollinate, then artificial pollination will have to be carried out. To do this, in the morning you need to cut off several male flowers that have a long stem; they should be carefully passed over the female flowers that have a short stem. But first, inspect the flowers; if they contain droplets of water left after watering or rain, then they cannot be used for this procedure, since pollination will not occur in this case. The fewer male flowers are taken to artificially pollinate a female flower, the fewer seeds will be in the fruit.

How to water

Seedlings planted in open ground should be provided with regular, frequent and abundant watering until they take root in their new location. During fruit formation, the bushes also need abundant watering.

Water for irrigation is used that is well-settled and lukewarm (from 22 to 25 degrees). Before the bushes bloom, they should be watered once every 5 or 6 days, with 6 to 8 liters of water taken per 1 square meter of land. During flowering and the formation of ovaries, the bushes are watered once every 3–4 days, while 8 to 10 liters of water are used per 1 square meter of land. You need to water the bushes carefully so that drops of liquid do not fall on the flowers, foliage and ovaries; to do this, water should be poured under the root or into the grooves that are made in advance around each squash. It should be taken into account that frequent and abundant watering contributes to the exposure of the roots of the bushes, which is why throughout the entire growing season the surface of the bed, if necessary, is covered with a layer of mulch.

If the developing fruits lie on the surface of the site, then it is recommended to place a piece of board under them, which will prevent the development of rot due to contact with moist soil.

Feeding squash

Squash grown in open soil requires only 2 feedings throughout the entire growing season. Before the bushes bloom, 20–30 grams of ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate, as well as 15–25 grams of double superphosphate per 1 square meter of land, should be added to the soil. During the ripening of the formed fruits, the bushes need to be fed again; for this, use the following nutrient solution: add 20–25 grams of ammonium sulfate, 40–50 grams of potassium sulfate and the same amount of superphosphate into 1 bucket of water. If desired, mineral fertilizers can be replaced with organic matter; a solution of chicken manure (1:20) or mullein (1:10) is best suited for this.

Feeding zucchini and squash.

Harvesting

The more often the fruits are harvested, the more female flowers are formed and, accordingly, new greens. If you leave several large squash, they will inhibit the formation of ovaries. Therefore, unripe fruits are cut 2-3 times a week, and when mass fruiting begins, even more often. Young, 5-8 day old squash are the most delicious and healthy, at this time they contain the most mineral salts, vitamins, and pectin. They have tender, elastic, crispy flesh, thin skin and undeveloped seeds. They don't last long, so there's no need to store them in the refrigerator; it's better to use them right away.

Fruiting lasts a long time, until the first frost, so when everyone is full of young squash and the cellars are filled with marinades and pickles, some of the fruit can be allowed to fully ripen. They, like pumpkins, store well indoors until spring. Thanks to the hard surface, moisture is not lost, but the structure becomes coarser, fibrous, and cottony. However, in winter, such a vegetable is generally not bad - it can be used to prepare stews, stews and bakes.

What can be made from squash? See our selection - Recipes from squash for the table

Landing Features

Squash can be grown both in open ground and in a greenhouse complex. In southern latitudes, seeds are planted in open ground. In temperate and cold climates, the seedling method of growing the crop is recommended.

Site preparation

Preparation of vegetable beds begins in the fall. The area for growing vegetables is chosen to be flat, sunny, with good shelter from the north wind and drafts.

1. Soil with a high acid content is limed.
2. The soil is carefully dug up and mixed with humus, organic and mineral substances.
3. Heavy, clayey soil is diluted with river sand and peat.
4. With the onset of spring, the beds are dug up again and fertilized with organic matter.

Expert opinion

Stanislav Pavlovich

Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert

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Important! Long-term use of mineral fertilizing and fertilizers in one place leads to an increase in soil acidity.

Crop rotation rules

Repeating planting of a crop in the same place is allowed no earlier than after 3-4 seasons.

It is best to plant squash in the place where cabbage, herbs, onions, garlic, and any root vegetables previously grew. It is not recommended to grow the crop after zucchini, cucumbers and pumpkin.

Pre-planting seed treatment

Hybrid squash seeds do not require pre-treatment or preparation. Such planting material is purchased at garden centers or nurseries already ready for sowing.

Seeds collected from the previous harvest are sorted, weeding out deformed, damaged, and affected by rot and mold specimens. Next, the planting material is placed in a deep container and filled with salt water. Viable seeds sink to the bottom of the container, seeds unsuitable for planting float to the surface.

To protect plants from damage by fungi and viruses, the seeds are treated with an antibacterial solution and dried. 2-3 days before the planned planting activities, the seed material is laid out in a damp cloth and kept in a warm place until it swells.

Advice! To increase germination, seeds are soaked for 4-5 hours in a growth stimulator before planting in the soil.

Sowing dates and patterns

The timing of sowing squash depends on the method of growing vegetables and the weather conditions of the region.

In southern latitudes, seeds are planted in open ground in early May. In regions with cold climates, planting work is postponed a month later.

1. Planting holes or ditches are dug in the prepared beds.
2. The distance between plantings is kept within 30-40 centimeters, the passage between the ridges is left up to 50 centimeters.
3. Seeds are placed in each hole, deepening them no more than 6-8 centimeters.
4. The top of the planting is sprinkled with fertile soil and thoroughly moistened.

For tall crop varieties, it is recommended to install support pegs or trellises.

Growing tips from experienced farmers

According to experienced vegetable growers, growing and caring for squash is no more difficult than unpretentious zucchini and pumpkin.

1. For better pollination and attracting beneficial insects, the buds are sprayed with sugar or honey syrup.
2. When the flowering period is prolonged, the lower leaf plates of the bushes are cut off.
3. When watering, it is necessary to control that moisture does not fall on the green mass of plants and ripening fruits.
4. If vegetables come into contact with the surface of the soil, any inorganic material is placed under them. In this case, it will be possible to avoid rotting of the fruits.

By following all the recommendations of knowledgeable vegetable growers, getting a high-quality and abundant harvest of vegetables will not be difficult.