A guide to growing summer squash

Vegetables are becoming much more varied and interesting to grow.

Carrots are no longer just orange, tomatoes red or eggfruit purple. Even squash is becoming multicoloured and there are interesting varieties to grow like spaghetti squash that looks just like its pasta namesake, and baby butternut.

Don’t be confused by the terms summer and winter squash. That’s an Americanism, by which the quick to harvest squash (baby marrow, patty pans) are referred to as summer squash and long season butternut, spaghetti, gem and Hubbard squash as well as pumpkin are referred to as winter squash.

In South Africa they are all summer squash with a planting window from August (areas without frost) to December. The main planting season is September and October.

Growing tips

Squash is one of the easiest vegetable families to cultivate and they all grow easily from seed, says RAW Seeds Marlaen Straathof.

Plants just need plenty of space to grow. Even baby marrows should have 1m x 1m space.

“If short on space, grow the squash in a large container. Keep it well-watered and fed, and the plants will reward you with lots of fruit.”

The vining types (spaghetti, gems, butternut and pumpkin) can be trained vertically to save space.  Going vertical suits them because there is better air-circulation around the leaves and the fruit is kept off the ground.

Tie carefully onto supports because the stems are very brittle. Other requirements are sunshine (morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal) and ordinary garden soil that is well-composted with adequate drainage.

Plants need regular, even daily watering in very hot weather. Water around the base of the plant, keeping the leaves as dry as possible. This prevents fungus disease.

“If the leaves wilt during hot midday heat, don’t panic,” says Straathof. “It is their mechanism to conserve water. If the leaves don’t revive when its cooler, then watering is necessary.”

When to harvest

According to Straathof, baby marrows and patty pans are ready for picking 50 to 70 days after planting.

The more you pick the more they produce, and at peak harvest time plants should be checked daily. If marrows are left to grow too big, the plant loses its vigour.

Hard-skinned squash needs 100 to 110 days to mature, and unlike the baby marrows, these should be allowed to ripen fully for the best flavour.

Grow your own spaghetti

Spaghetti squash may only recently have come to our attention because of the low-carb revolution, but it is an heirloom vegetable from China that is now available from RAW seeds.

The green squash turns golden yellow when ripe (about 110 days from planting) and its flesh consists of long, translucent strings that resemble pasta.

It is easier to extract the flesh from cooked squash as the skins are hard. Bake (40 minutes) or boil (about 20 minutes), then cut open remove the seeds and shred out the flesh with a fork. It has a mild squash flavour and a slight crunch.

A helping of spaghetti squash has about 40 calories compared to the 220 calories of an equivalent portion of pasta.

Spaghetti squash has spreading growth that needs a lot of room if grown along the ground, but it can equally be grown upwards as it has self-clinging tendrils, making it suitable for small gardens. Like other squash it needs sun, fertile soil and regular watering.

Try this:  Anything you can do with pasta, you can do with spaghetti squash. It blends with meat, cream or tomato sauces or toss with pesto. Don’t throw away the skins but pile the filling back into them, garnish and serve. Generally, each half is enough for two people.

For more information visit Raw Living. Seed is available from garden centres and hardware stores.