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Summary
In increase to changing parting and pumpkin spice caffe latte , winter squashis one of the reminders that fall has go far . Part of the Cucurbitaceae or gourd family , they total in legion metal money and varieties , all with unique shapes , color , and flavors .
While treated as a vegetable , squelch develops from a plant ’s flowers and contain seed , get it a yield ! Discover the many types of winter squash , some of the best variety , andhow to growthis nutritional fruit .
Types of Winter Squash
wintertime squash belong to four species , with differenttypes of pumpkinsfinding their way into all of them .
Curcurbita pepo
Curcurbita maxima
Curcurbita moschate
Curcurbita mixta
Every type of winter squash grow beautiful variety show with unique flavors and texture . While some are arise for ornamental intention , many witness their way to the dinner mesa , where they provide a innkeeper of nutrients , including vitamin C and B6 , Mg , K , and carotenoids .
Some of the Best Varieties
While everyone has their own take on what ’s considered ' the best ' wintertime squash sort offer a tasty delicacy whileadding beaut to your garden . With vines that spread from 3 to 15 foot , it ’s also best to take miscellanea that fit into youravailable gardening space .
Acorn: ‘Tuffy’
Acorn squashgets its name from its distinctive acorn - like physique that shit it idealistic for stuffing or rib in slice . The ' Tuffy ' variety fetch beautiful black - green tegument to your garden . It ’s bed for its crackers flavor and as one of the best - try winter squashes in the acorn family . This vine salmagundi reaches about 2 Lebanese pound , with vines that debase up to 10 feet .
Spaghetti: ‘Sugaretti’
' Sugaretti ' is an All - America Sections ( AAS ) award winner in the Edible - Vegetable category . A semi - bush variety , it spreads about 2 foundation and bring a plunder melon vine - like look to the garden . The yield is about 10 inches long , taste a little like a sweet Irish potato , and , like most spaghetti squash , can be baked and used in place of pasta .
Delicata: ‘Bush’
' Bush ' is another AAS award achiever , thanks to its very sweet-smelling savour and resistance to powdery mould . Powdery mold is a common fungal disease find on summertime and winter squash . ' Bush ' bring about 1 to 2 - pound fruit and grow on a compendious 4 to 6 - ft vine .
Banana: ‘Jumbo Pink’
If you ’re considering entering the biggest squash - growing competition or simply want to dumbfound your friends , this may be the winter squash for you . As the name mean , ' Jumbo Pink ' is one of the bigger varieties , reaching up to 30 inches foresighted and a maximum of 50 pounds .
Its greyish - green skin turns a Light Within pink as it matures , which takes longer than your mean winter squash . you may expect it to get to maturity in about 105 twenty-four hours . It requires a bit of room , with vines running up to 15 feet . It ’s great for storage and offers a sugared nip and flesh that ’s not stringy .
Buttercup: ‘Bonbon’
' Bonbon ' boasts another AAS Edible - Vegetable award . This semi - bush-league assortment spread about 8 foot . It is also ready for harvest earlier than many winter squashes , often maturing within 81 days . ' Bonbon ' weighs about 4 pound and provide a sweet flavor . In the garden , it brings a glowering green fruit with smooth-spoken band .
Hubbard: ‘Baby Blue’
While many hubbard squashes consider up to 50 pound , ' Baby Blue ' amount in at about 6 pounds , wee-wee it ideal for gardeners with smaller space . It bring a beautiful blue - gray color in a tear shape to the garden and a perfumed flavor to the kitchen . A semi - bush-league variety , vine spread about 3 feet .
Butternut: ‘Honeybaby’
Another AAS winner , ' Honeybaby ' is a semi - bushbutternut varietyspreading up to 3 foot . The squash is smaller than many other varieties , make up to ½ pound . A fertile grower , each plant cede up to eight fruit . With a sweet , round the bend flavor , it ’s used in soups , steamed , and baked .
The Basics of Growing Winter Squash
In the garden , you ’ll demand a sunny spot and lots of room . Winter crush requires at least six hours a day of direct sun . It also opt moist , well - debilitate soil and need a minimum of 1 in ofwater every week .
wintertime squash take quite a while to age , usually from 65 to 100 days . The clock time to engraft will reckon on your first expected freeze . In colder northern land , you may need to plant as early as May and , in warm southern land , as tardily as early July .
This squash is a fond - season plant . It ’s best to expect to implant until the dirt has reached at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit ( sooner 70 degrees ) and the air temperature is at least 63 degrees . You cansow seedsdirectly into the warm territory , either in hills or run-in .
Prepare the soilwith a few column inch of compost mixed into the top 2 to 4 inches . Sow about four seeds in each hill , spacing the hill about 3 to 6 understructure apart , depending on the variety show and the length of the vine . Unlike summer squash vine , wintertime squash requires you to wait for them tofully ripen before harvest . Stems will turn brown as they start to dry out out , and the tegument becomes difficult when they near crop clip .
Enjoy a Bountiful Harvest!
Winter squash , with its many form , brings an copiousness of options . opt industrial plant based on how much room you have in your garden and the flavors you ’d like to bring to your kitchen . Then , create a wondrous fall custom , harvesting this beautiful yield and enjoying the nearly limitless recipes !
