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University
of Rhode Island GreenShare Factsheets
Squash
and Pumpkin Culture
The cultural requirements of squash and pumpkins are similar,
and there is often great confusion in differentiating the two.
T.W. Whitaker and G.W. Bohn presented evidence in 1950 that
five species of Cucurbita, known as pumpkins and squash,
originated in the Americas. They defined the terms pumpkin,
summer squash and winter squash as follows:
Pumpkin-the edible fruit of any species of Cucurbita, used
when ripe as a table vegetable or in pies; flesh is somewhat
coarse and/or strongly flavored, hence is not generally served
as a baked vegetable.
Summer Squash-The edible fruit of any species of Cucurbita, commonly C.
pepo, used when immature as a table vegetable.
Winter Squash-The edible fruit of any species of Cucurbita used
when ripe as a table vegetable or in pies; flesh is usually
fine-grained and of mild flavor, hence is suitable for baking.
Most of the seeds of pumpkin and squash will not germinate
satisfactorily in cold soil, and the plants are injured by
light frosts. Planting should be delayed until the soil has
warmed to 68 degrees F at a depth of four inches and all danger
of frost has passed. The use of summer squash transplants should
be considered if early harvest is important.
Fertilizer and lime applications are best based on soil
test results. General recommendations, when using black plastic
mulch, would be one pound of actual nitrogen, two pounds of
phosphorus and three pounds of potash per 1,000 square feet.
On bare ground, increase the amount of nitrogen by 25 percent.
This would best be done as a sidedress application when vines
begin to run. Lime should be applied only if indicated by a soil
test so as to maintain a pH between 6.5 and 6.8.
The use of black plastic mulch will conserve moisture
and help control weeds in the row. Spacing of the plants or
seeds in the row depends on the growth habit of the vegetable.
For bush type squash and pumpkins, hills of two plants should
be spaced three to four feet apart with rows on four to five
foot centers. For vining types, hills of two plants should
be spaced five feet apart with rows on seven foot centers.
The vining types of squash and pumpkins need the extra space
and will invade even more space if allowed, so plan and plant
accordingly.
Important insect pests of pumpkin and
squash are the squash bug, squash vine borer,
cucumber beetle and aphids. Important
diseases are powdery mildew,
downy mildew, angular leaf spot, black rot, gummy stem blights,
mosaic viruses and bacterial
wilt. See GreenShare Factsheets on these specific pests
and diseases for more information and control recommendations.
Only the female flowers produce fruit; male and female
parts are in separate flowers. Male flowers emerge first, followed
by the females.
Summer squashes of all types and
varieties should be harvested when they reach a size of four
to six inches long
and 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter. This ensures high-quality
fruit and additional fruit production. High-quality winter
squashes and pumpkins are associated with maturity, so they
should not be harvested until they are fully ripe. Fruits subjected
to a hard frost will not keep; harvest should be completed
before cold weather. A portion of the stem is usually left
attached to the pumpkin or squash at harvest time. Halloween
pumpkins are most attractive when a stem or "handle" is carefully
allowed to remain.
Store only those fruit that are free of cuts, wounds
and insect or disease damage. Immediately after harvest, the
fruit should undergo a ripening or curing process to harden
the shell. A curing period of about two weeks at 75 to 85 degrees
F with good circulation is desirable. Store at 50 to 70 degrees
F with humidity between 50 and 70 percent.
Adapted from Ted W. Gastier,
Ohio State University Extension, 2000
Pesticides
are poisonous! Read and follow all safety precautions on labels.
Handle carefully and store in original containers out of reach
of children, pets or livestock. Dispose of empty containers
immediately, in a safe manner and place. Pesticides should never
be stored with foods or in areas where people eat.
When trade names are used for identification, no product endorsement
is implied, nor is discrimination intended against similar materials.
Be sure that the pesticide you intend to use is registered for
the state of use.
The user of this information assumes all risk for personal injury
or property damage.
For more
information, call the URI CE Gardening and Food Safety Hotline
at 1-800-448-1011 or (401)874-2929 from outside Rhode Island;
Monday-Thursday between 9 am and 2 pm.
University
of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension provides equal program
opportunities.
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