How to Grow Long Winter Squash
- 1). Buy seed that produces long winter squash varieties, such as banana squash, which grows 12 to 18 inches long and weighs up to 30 lbs. Smaller long varieties include Waltham butternut, Delicata or Sugar Loaf.
- 2). Plant long winter squash in fertile, loose soil amended with compost. Plant these frost-tender seeds after the last frost when daytime temperatures are predictably above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant five seeds in one hill to a depth of 1 inch. Space the seeds 4 inches apart. When the plants stand 4 inches high, remove all but the two healthiest plants.
- 3). Water the long winter squash as needed to keep the soil evenly moist. Reduce watering toward the end of the summer to encourage ripening. Remove any weeds that pop up.
- 4). Fertilize the winter squash when the first blooms appear with 2 lbs. of calcium nitrate per 100 feet of row or 1/4 cup per plant.
- 5). Harvest the long winter squash in late fall when the squash has a rich color and the rind is hard. Cut the stems with a knife, leaving 2 inches of stem intact. Harvest the squash before the first hard frost. Store the squash at room temperature for two weeks to cure it. Once cured, store the squash in a cool, dry place, such as an unheated basement. The squash will last two to four months in storage.
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