There’s no one way to grow spectacular squashes, because every squash seed contains prizewinning potential. It pays to match each squash’s maturity date to your growing season and to give each plant a steady supply of high-quality fertilizer. Challenge yourself to plant and grow some unusual summer squashes and some new-to-you heirloom winter squashes, too. If you enter a few in every contest category, you just might come home with a heaping helping of honors.
Squash is just one member of a big clan that also includes pumpkins, cucumbers, melons, and gourds. Some say the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae) is the most important plant family because of all it provides: countless flavorful fruits, protein-rich seeds, edible roots, tough fibers, everyday utensils, and beautiful autumn decorations.
Squashes have been around for quite a while. Archeologists in Mexico have found seeds and gourd remains that are believed to be seven thousand years old. Wild squash species were domesticated in South America (Cucurbita maxima) and Mexico (C. ficifolia, C. moschata, and C. mixta). The familiar C. pepo may have been domesticated twice, once in northeastern Mexico and once by Native Americans further north.
In the 1490s, transoceanic voyagers collected specimens and transported them back to their homelands, from which seeds were carried to other countries. By the turn of the sixteenth century, Europeans were enjoying squashes and pumpkins, too. Some of the hundreds of squashes we enjoy today are the result of chance crosses; others come to us after years of shrewd breeding for more uniform shapes and improved colors, tastes, textures, and disease resistance.
Some of the most stunning entries in a vegetable competition are the ones gardeners grow for the squash contests. Whether an out-of-the-ordinary smooth-skinned summer squash or a winter squash you could wear as a hat, there are dozens of ways to wow the crowd in the squash category.
Plant breeders are taking some of the fun out of growing summer squash, what with cultivars that have more upright habits, fewer (or no) spines, and fruit that stays at a prime-eating size longer. Selecting the squashes you want to grow is matter of taste and available garden space. Here are some tried-and-true varieties:
Most summer squashes belong to the Cucurbita pepo species. These typically grow on short-vining bushes and can reach competition size in about 40 days. There are several groups of summer squash: crookneck, scallop, straightneck, and zucchini.
Contests may have classes for all or just a few of the summer squash groups. Most often there will be classes for yellow crookneck and straightneck; white scallop or patty pan; and yellow and green zucchini. The “other” category for squashes allows you to show unusual kinds, like round squashes that range in size from cue ball to softball.
Summer squashes are always shown at their immature stage, and contest rules may specify a certain length and diameter. For example, rules may specify that yellow straightnecks should be 5 to 6 inches long; zucchini, 6 to 9 inches long; and scallop types, 3 to 4 inches in diameter. If your squashes get away from you, don’t fret. Many contests encourage exhibitors to enter their overmature or extra-large specimens in the jumbo vegetable contest.
Rules typically require each entry to be exhibited with its stem. Judges will be looking for blemish-free skin, firm light-colored flesh, and immature seeds. Before the contest, slice into a sample to make sure seeds are still small and soft.
The winter squash category makes for some of the most interesting exhibits at any vegetable competition. Here are some of the many colorful characters for growing and showing:
Winter squashes can include species of Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, and C. moschata. These squashes grow on long vines and develop a hard rind that allows for storing in winter. Some of the common competition classes of winter squashes include acorn, acorn-like, banana, buttercup, butternut, ‘Delicata’, Hubbard, and spaghetti. Some squashes look a lot like their pumpkin relatives, but pumpkins have hard stems and squashes have softer, round stems.
Winter squashes are shown at their mature stage. They can take 100 days to be ready to exhibit, depending on the variety. No matter their size, all winter squash entries need to have a hard, firm outer rind, deep color typical of the variety, and an attached length of stem. The flesh should be solid, and seeds should be hard and mature.
Today you can grow some of the same squashes that American farmers exhibited during the 1800s, because people saved their seeds and passed them along. Thanks to their diligent seed-saving efforts, you can still grow a ‘Red Warty Thing’ to take to the county fair.
‘Red Warty Thing’ is an old Hubbard-type winter squash first introduced as ‘Victor’ in the late 1890s. Recently this variety has been rediscovered, renamed, and revered. “We grew one in 2013 that was the biggest plant I’ve ever seen,” says Bryan Stuart, field manager at Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) in Decorah, Iowa. “The fruit was probably 4 or 5 feet around, but it [the plant] had a wingspan of about 30 feet in each direction. It took over the whole garden, but it’s a beautiful fruit.”
The upper Midwest is a challenging place to grow squashes for seed production because of the humid climate and short growing season. Bryan and his crew have to wait for the weather to warm sufficiently in spring before planting. Some of their best practices for growing the selected squashes include planting under row cover until plants start to flower. Then they remove the row cover and begin hand-pollinating to ensure a pure line of seeds.
The staff at the 890-acre farm uses only organic methods to control insect pests like cucumber beetles. Insecticides containing pyrethrins, derived from chrysanthemums, and kaolin clay work well.
In September the crew may prune squash vines, to signal plants to stop vegetative growth and start maturing the seeds inside the fruit. The squashes are left in the field as long as possible.
“We do everything the old-fashioned way, by hand,” Bryan says. “We split the fruit in half and dig out the seed by hand.” Seeds are washed, rinsed, and dried on old window screens before being transferred to a climate-controlled cold room. After testing, they’re moved into the freezer for long-term storage.
SSE also sends seeds to other seed banks for long-term backup storage. Some go to the USDA’s National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation seed bank in Fort Collins, Colorado; others, to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault that’s buried deep inside a mountain on an island that belongs to Norway.
The continuing work of passionate preservationists means generations of gardeners will get to plant the same heirloom squashes that someone’s great-grandmother, grandpa, or uncle grew and treasured many years ago. “An important part of preservation is the more that are doing it, the better it works,” Bryan says. “We’re maintaining a lot of family history, good breeding work, and the work people put into developing these varieties. If we weren’t preserving them,” he adds, “they’d be lost forever.”
“If we weren’t preserving [these varieties], they’d be lost forever.”
— Bryan Stuart
The summer I started my first vegetable garden, I planted six zucchini plants. I really like fresh zucchini, and I wanted to make sure I’d have enough to enjoy in all my favorite forms: fresh, fried, baked, and stuffed. That was the same year I discovered that one healthy plant can grow enough zucchini to feed the world.
To say zucchini is prolific is an understatement. These fruits practically grow themselves. At the height of the season, they can be ready to pick within a week of flowering. It can be challenging to keep up with them, but they need to be harvested early and often to keep plants productive (and to avoid tripping over club-sized lunkers lurking beneath the leaves).
Squash is easy to grow, if you simply give plants what they need. Because they originated in a hot climate, summer squashes grow best during hot weather. Wait until the soil and weather have warmed before direct sowing or transplanting.
Squash also needs lots of room, so allow plenty of garden space for plants or vines to spread out. Shorter vines can be trained to grow up stakes, and long vines can be grown on strong trellises. Vertical gardening helps keep plants healthy and protects delicate skin in the process. An added benefit of growing squash vertically is that the large leaves are especially ornamental.
Patio and balcony gardeners can grow summer squash for showing, too. New cultivars bred specifically for container growing feature full-size squash on smaller plants. Some even grow on shorter vines. You just may need to plant a few more to make sure you have enough specimens to take to the fair.
Another important consideration is that squash plants are especially hungry and can eat anything. Massachusetts seedsman James J. H. Gregory made that point clear in his 1867 book Squashes: How to Grow Them. “The squash vine is a rank feeder,” he wrote. “Night soil, barn manure, wood ashes, guano, mussel mud, hen manure, superphosphate of lime, pig manure, fish guano, fish waste — either of these alone, or in compost, is greedily devoured by this miscellaneous feeder. The great error in the cultivating of squash is to starve it.” (Note: “night soil” is a euphemism for humanure; please don’t use this old-fashioned fertilizer to feed your squashes or anything else in your garden. Mussel mud — the marine sediment collected from the bottom of inlets and stream beds at low tide — is safer, but today you have easier alternatives.)
Squash plants need male and female blossoms present at the same time for pollination. To increase the likelihood for pollination, plant several of the same kinds of squash. Also add herbs and flowers that attract bees to your garden, or be prepared to hand-pollinate. (For more on hand-pollination, see Sex and the Single Cucumber.) Another alternative is to plant parthenocarpic varieties of squash; these are self-pollinating and don’t need the services of bees.
Depending on the variety, most summer squashes are ready to harvest in 40 to 60 days. Some gardeners ensure a continuous harvest by planting a crop for an early harvest and planting another in midsummer for a second round of fresh plants and fruit that will be ready at fair time. Staggered planting times can also help avoid some pest problems.
Plant squash in a sunny location. Amend the soil with compost, well-rotted manure, or other source of organic matter to ensure soil is fertile and well drained. If you have clayey soil, plant on slightly raised hills to help water drain away from seedlings to keep them healthy.
Where the growing season is short, plant seeds indoors in individual peat pots that can be transplanted into the garden. Start seeds about three weeks ahead of the last average frost date, but wait to transplant until the soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed. Harden off seedlings to prevent transplant shock.
Where the growing season is longer, you can direct sow outdoors. Plant four to six seeds as a group, 1 inch deep, either on the top of the garden soil, in slight wells, or on slightly mounded hills. Allow at least 3 to 6 feet between plants (3 feet for bush varieties, more for older and larger varieties).
Mulch with black plastic or organic materials to keep weeds to a minimum. If you must cultivate the soil, do so carefully to keep from harming shallow roots.
After seeds sprout, thin to the strongest two or three plants, spaced evenly apart. Small garden tunnels (row cover over short hoops) can protect seedlings for several weeks until it’s time for them to start growing in earnest. Remove row cover once flowers appear; you don’t want to prevent pollination.
Water squash deeply about once a week, especially while plants are blossoming and fruit is developing. To prevent foliar damage, avoid getting leaves wet.
Because squashes are heavy feeders, they benefit from additional applications of compost or a balanced fertilizer. Dig in or side-dress plants with compost when they start to blossom and while fruit is setting.
Wondering what to do with your 5-pound zucchini after the competition? At the annual Boulder Creek Hometown Festival in Boulder, Colorado, contestants in the Great Zucchini Race pay a fee to decorate a mammoth zuke and pit it against others for prizes and bragging rights. The young drivers take their time selecting what they hope will be the most aerodynamically perfect zucchini for their heat. Volunteers hammer wheels on squashes before kids paint cars in garish colors, decorate them with feathers, and sprinkle on glitter for good luck. The first zucchini race car that makes it down the steep incline and across the finish line without wiping out is declared the winner.
This supersize zucchini may be bordering on inedible, but it’s on its way to being a contender for the jumbo competition.
As soon as plants start to set fruit, check vines daily. Harvest summer squash while they’re still immature and the skin is shiny. Wear long sleeves and gloves to protect your hands and arms from spiny stems, and carefully cut squash from plants with pruning shears or a sharp knife. Leave enough stem to trim before the contest.
Check contest rules that specify the length or diameter of fruit to exhibit and clip when your squash are at their peak. Harvest fruits when they’re at the desired size, even if it’s a few days before the contest, and then keep fruit refrigerated and dry. Use plastic wrap or a moisture-proof container to prevent storage decay. Don’t wash specimens before the contest, but wipe gently with a damp cloth. Handle with care. The skin of summer squash is easily scratched.
When it’s close to contest time, check squash plants daily, harvest right-size fruits, and keep them refrigerated until showtime. Clip with long stems so you can trim them before the contest for a just-cut look. There may be additional guidelines depending on whether you’re showing yellow crookneck, yellow straightneck, or scallop varieties.
Vegetable marrows are a summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) with a long history at horticultural exhibitions in the United Kingdom. Gardeners there work all summer to grow them as big as they can. It’s a shame these giants aren’t more popular with gardeners in the States. Marrows are easy to grow and can reach humongous proportions in about 75 days. Marrows are zucchini-like except for two points: they grow on long vines instead of bushes, and the ones grown for size have deep ridges.
If you’re going for size, you might try growing a giant marrow — a variety of summer squash that often has its own category at the fair (especially in Britain).
In his book How to Grow Giant Vegetables, Bernard Lavery says, “If you have never attempted to grow a giant marrow, I do urge you to have a go; you could end up with some real monsters that will amaze yourself as well as dumbfound your friends.” Lavery is well known in the United Kingdom as a giant vegetable expert. He’s considered the father of giant vegetable growing, setting 25 world records and 37 British records before retiring in 1996. One of the many vegetable records he set was for the 108-pound marrow he grew in 1990.
In the 1800s gardeners dug deep pits and planted marrow varieties like ‘Long White’, ‘Moore’s Vegetable Cream’, and ‘Pen-y-Byd’ in manure-heated hotbeds. Lavery took the sport to another level and suggested growing marrows in a large glasshouse or polythene growing tunnel, or possibly in the open garden. His recommendations include placing boards or planks to use as walkways near the plants to keep from damaging their delicate root system and allowing only three good marrows to grow along the main stem of the plant. Lavery suggests weekly applications of a high-nitrogen liquid fertilizer to the main roots until harvest. He also advises caution when harvesting. The marrows may be easy to cut from their vines, “but they can weigh much more than you might imagine.”
If you’d like to grow your own record-setting squash, start with giant marrow seeds that are meant to grow into huge specimens. Some other summer squashes can also grow to more than 40 pounds. Look for a banana type such as ‘Jumbo Pink Banana’, or just let one of your zucchinis grow wild.
When a winter squash turns yellow on the bottom, where it rests on the soil, it’s ready to be harvested.
Winter squashes take about twice as long to grow and mature as summer squashes (80 to 100 days). Be sure to count back the number of days from the contest and find squashes that will mature in your timeframe.
Winter squashes also take more space in the garden. Vines need 5 to 10 feet between hills, so follow spacing instructions carefully. Plant four to five seeds per grouping, about 1 inch deep. Thin to the strongest two or three plants when they’re well established. Cover with short tunnels until vines start to push up on the cover. Mulch or use shallow cultivation to keep the garden weed-free.
If you want to save seeds from a prizewinning squash, you need to start at the beginning of the season. Squashes, pumpkins, and gourds can cross-pollinate with other varieties of the same species: Cucurbita pepo with other C. pepo varieties, or C. maxima types with other C. maxima. Cross-pollination won’t affect the fruit from the current season, but will show up if you save seeds and plant them the following season. To keep your squash seeds pure, you need to control pollination. It’s easy: keep flowers covered until right before they open, pollinate by hand, and tape the female flower closed as the fruit starts to grow.
These summer squash mutants haven’t developed their color properly and won’t show well at the fair.
Winter squashes are ready to harvest when they’ve reached their mature size and both stem and leaves are drying. The deep-colored skin will start to lose its shine and turn dull, and the shell should be hard enough to resist piercing with a fingernail.
Carefully cut squash from the vine with pruning shears or a sharp knife, leaving a bit of vine attached to several inches of stem. Lift heavy squash from the bottom (not the stem) to prevent damage. Handle winter squash gently to prevent nicks, cuts, bruises, or other damage that will detract from the specimen.
Mature winter squashes like Hubbard, butternut, buttercup, and spaghetti need to be cured before you take them to the fair. Curing sounds difficult, but all it means is storing your winter squash at room temperature, with good air circulation, for about two weeks. Curing helps the squash dry and skin harden for long-term storage. Cure in a well-ventilated area, like a basement, shed, or garage, until it’s time to head to the fair.
Before harvesting winter squashes, check the show book for any specific requirements. For example, butternut squash may need to display a thick, straight neck in proportion to the bulb end; acorn squash may need to show a deep yellow grow spot where the fruit was sitting on the ground. All winter squashes should be colorful and have a hard, well-cured shell that resists piercing with a fingernail.
Your best bet for growing healthy squash is to stay one step ahead of the game. As with other vegetables, it makes sense to seek out resistant varieties. You now have several options for zucchinis that are resistant to powdery mildew, for example. Rotate where you grow all your Cucurbita crops (squash, pumpkins, gourds). Grow squash in well-drained soil; incorporate lots of compost or other organic matter before planting to improve soil drainage (and help maintain soil moisture). Mulch also helps to conserve soil moisture and it keeps down weeds.
Provide adequate plant spacing to allow air to circulate. Water as needed to maintain good soil moisture (especially after fruit set). Learn the most common squash pests and diseases in your region, and take action if you spot trouble. Check leaf undersides for insect eggs. If you can’t handpick the pests, you may need to remove a severely infested plant to protect the others. Here are some issues that might crop up with your squash plants:
The Indiana State Fair handed out red ribbons as first place prizes until 1907 when they changed to blue ribbons, following the lead of other state fairs.
Amy Goldman Fowler, award-winning author of The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Grower’s Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds, entered her first vegetable competition in 1990 at the urging of a neighbor, an Englishwoman. This neighbor, who had experience competing in the floral division at the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck, New York, said, “Look at all you grow. Come with me and I’ll show you the ropes.” So, on a lark, she did. “No one was more surprised to get a ribbon,” Amy admits. “When you win those ribbons, it’s good, positive reinforcement.”
The next year Amy doubled the number of prizes she won, including a first-place ribbon for a ‘Blue Hubbard’ squash and an award of merit for her ‘Dill’s Atlantic Giant’ pumpkin. “What I learned that year about squash,” she says, “is what judges value. Here they value size and table quality. It’s the bigger the better, and I had a pretty humongo one.”
Because she has only 150 frost-free days, she starts squash and pumpkins inside, and she uses plastic mulch to speed up growth. To prevent insects and diseases from taking their toll on the plants, she “babies them with row covers to beat the first wave of insects.” There’s also “a lot of hand-crushing of some critters,” she adds. “It’s all a race against time.”
In 1995, during the 150th year of the Dutchess County Fair, she received the Grand Championship award after winning 38 blue ribbons in the vegetable classes. That total included 15 ribbons for her squashes alone. “No other vegetable dominated the contest like squashes and pumpkins, so I knew I’d have to master them to win,” she says. “I also had a 440-pound ‘Atlantic Giant’,” Amy says. “I actually cried when I had to cut it from the vine, but it won.”
To protect their delicate skin, she grew her summer squashes into plastic bags. Before each contest she’d harvest, clean, plate, label, and refrigerate them and then match them up right before the fair. She turned her garage into a curing shed for the winter squashes.
All of the squashes she grew were heirloom, open-pollinated, or standard varieties. “They’re classics,” she explains. “I don’t think any hybrid can do better, and in some classes there’s no hybrid that can compete.” She’s a great fan of heirloom varieties, saying “people overgeneralize that heirlooms are more difficult to grow, and I don’t think that’s the case. I highly recommend them.”
Amy encourages other gardeners to plant heirloom and open-pollinated squash varieties through her ongoing work with the nonprofit Seed Savers Exchange. She participates both as seed saver and special advisor to its board of directors.
After winning the Grand Champion award at the 1996 New York State Fair, she competed only sporadically and never went for the big prize again. “I achieved what I set out to do,” she says. “It can be all-consuming, but I loved it, especially after the judging. The fair is in a part of the country where agriculture is valued, so there’s excitement on the part of the competitors and the fairgoers alike. That’s why fairs were started in the first place, to keep agriculture alive.”
“What I learned that year about squash is what judges value. Here they value size and table quality. It’s the bigger the better, and I had a pretty humongo one.”
—Amy Goldman Fowler