Gardening 101: Summer Squash

Summer squash, such as zucchini, yellow crookneck, yellow straightneck (saffron), and pattypan, are warm-season plants. They grow on large, bushy plants or on vines and are ready to harvest seven to eight weeks after planting. They are a versatile vegetable that make a great addition to many meals.

Planting

Plant summer squash after the danger of frost is gone. Squash do best when the soil and air temperature is above 60°F consistently. Squash tend to do well in the heat.
Seeds can be started inside and transplanted outside after 3 weeks.
There are two ways to plant squash:
- Plant seeds in hills 4 feet apart with 2-3 seeds in each hill or
- Plant in containers or garden beds with adequate space between seeds. Squash plants need a lot of space!
Summer squash do best in full sun, in soils with high nutrients, with plenty of water.
Rotate where squash is planted from year to year to avoid issues with diseases.

Harvesting

Harvest at about 7-8 weeks after planting.
Summer squash taste best when they are small, before the skin hardens and becomes seedy.
The skin and flesh of summer squash can be eaten.
Eat summer squash soon after harvesting.

Suggested Varieties– Black Zucchini, Early Golden Summer Crookneck, Early Prolific Straightneck, Jackpot Zucchini, Saffron, Sunny Delight

Happy gardening!

Information summarized from UW Extension publications by Katie Shockley, Writer/Editor, University of Wyoming Extension Communications & Technology.

Baked Zucchini Fries

This quick recipe makes an excellent side dish or snack, and is a great way to use zucchini, especially when you have tons in your garden!

Click the title for the full recipe!

Additional Resources

Learn more about growing summer squash with these resources from the University of Wyoming Extension:

Get Growing: Planting Squash in the Garden (Barnyards & Backyards article)
Gardening: Vegetables in Wyoming (UW Extension Bulletin)
Summer and Winter Squash (From the Ground Up video)

Next up: Peas + A Recipe [Coming August 28]

Previous issue: Windowsill Herb Gardens

If you know someone who might enjoy this newsletter, please share it with them! They can subscribe here.

Find us on Facebook, Pinterest, and the Cent$ible Nutrition Program website.

This newsletter is a collaboration of the following programs:

Share the Post:

field containing a thick strip of yellow grass with mostly green grass to the right side

UW-Led Institute Releases Film Highlighting 10 Years of Collaborative Invasive Grass Management

The University of Wyoming’s Institute for Managing Annual Grasses Invading Natural Ecosystems (IMAGINE) has released a short film highlighting a decade of collaborative efforts to manage invasive grasses in northeast Wyoming.

The film, titled “Northeast Wyoming Holds the Line Against Ventenata & Medusahead,” features the Northeast Wyoming Invasive Grass Working Group (NEWIGWG), one of the largest invasive grass working groups in the U.S.

Four people stand in a field; Jahshua Sanchez is holding a bird.

UW’s WYOBIRD Contributes to Study on Climate Sensitivity Among Tree Swallows

Across the board, tree swallow populations have similar sensitivity to warming amid climate change, but different abilities to respond to change. Breeding dates have advanced about one day per degree of warming, but northern populations face tighter time constraints and greater exposure to warming, according to recent research that included University of Wyoming students and faculty in the Wyoming Bird Initiative for Resilience and Diversity (WYOBIRD).