![]() Make sure to keep the soil evenly moist and water the plants in the mornings to give the leaves time to dry off during the day (if you water later on in the day, the plants will not adequately dry off and can form root rot and other diseases and attract pests). Best Practices for Watering Your Yellow Squash The average plant can grow anywhere from five to twenty-five pounds of yellow squash per season, so plan your garden accordingly. Consequently, you may have to harvest squash multiple times in one day due to its high growth rate. Yellow squash grows extremely fast, and a squash fruit can grow several inches in one day. For more northern climates, try seeds from Pittsburg-based Tomorrow Seeds. For Southern gardens, the store Zellajake Farm Gardens on Etsy is a great choice. Even within the same variety of squash, getting seed from a grower located near you, or in a similar climate, is best. Ordering seed from someone with a similar climate to yours can help ensure success in your garden. There are many small, organic seed sellers online today. Extra seeds can be kept for several years if you are not able to plant every one. If starting seeds indoors, sow seeds five to six weeks before the last spring frost. Learn more about hardening off in this post about how to prepare seedlings for transplanting. You’ll need to follow a gradual hardening off process off to acclimate them to life outdoors. Additionally, seedlings grown for sale are generally grown in a greenhouse and aren’t as vigorous as plants you start from seed outdoors. Seedlings grow for sales are typically varieties that make impressive seedlings, not necessarily the best fruits. In an intensive square foot garden, squash are typically planted with one plant occupying two squares.Īlthough transplant seedlings are tempting (Yay – instant garden!), growing from seed is more economical and tends to create healthier plants. You can plant two to three seeds together, and the seeds need to be ¾ to 1 inch deep and spaced three to six feet apart. However, it is generally recommended to grow them directly sown from seed. What Are the Best Methods for Planting Yellow Squash? Additionally, avoid areas recently used for other heavy feeders like tomatoes. Do not plant yellow squash where other members of the cucurbit family (squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and pumpkins) have grown in the last 3-5 years. I like using Neptune’s Harvest organic fertilizers and the FoxFarms nutrient trio. Nitrogen encourages leaf growth, which is good for a young plant but can encourage a more established plant to put energy into leaves instead of fruits. Amend your soil with organic compost and a natural, slow-release fertilizer like worm castings before planting.įeed your plants at least monthly during the growing season, but avoid fertilizers with lots of nitrogen after the plant starts to set fruit. You can read more about making your soil more acidic in this post on purple flowering bushes (just scroll to the hydrangea section). It’s much more important for plants like blueberries and hydrangeas. Honestly, most home gardeners don’t worry about amending soil for the humble squash plant, so don’t feel like you have to. You can use a soil test to check your pH and amend it to optimal soil pH. Yellow squash thrives best in soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Water accumulation can be responsible for root rot, which will kill your plants before you receive any squash. Let the sun shine! Ensure that the planting area will receive a lot of sun, as yellow squash grows best in full sunlight with 8+ hours of sun a day. These dates can vary based on location, so check local planting guides for your planting dates. Squash Planting Conditionsīecause of its growth peak in summer, yellow squash is highly susceptible to cold soil and frost and is best planted in the middle to end of spring or when the temperature averages around 65✯ (18✬). There are several important factors to consider when growing yellow squash. Plants That You Should NOT Plant Near Yellow Squash.Companion Plants for Your Yellow Squash.Diseases to Look Out for in Your Squash Plants.
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