What is the difference between summer and winter squash?
Summer squash, such as zucchini, is harvested while young and tender and does not store long. Winter squash and pumpkins are left to mature, have hard rinds and keep for weeks or months when cured and stored properly.
Decide what you want: steady fresh harvest or storage. That choice affects variety, spacing and timing.
Think about your garden layout before planting. Vining squash can crowd out neighbors, so place them at the edge of the garden where vines can run onto a lawn, path or fence, or train them up a strong trellis and support heavy fruit with slings.
When should I plant?
These crops are frost tender and like warm soil. Plant after your last spring frost date once soil has warmed. Ask your extension office for local frost dates.
Winter squash and pumpkins need a long growing season, so check days to maturity on the seed packet and count forward from planting to your expected first fall frost. Short-season varieties suit cooler areas.
Starting seed indoors a few weeks ahead can help in short-season areas, but squash dislike root disturbance, so use biodegradable pots or handle roots gently. Harden plants off over several days before transplanting.
How much room do they need?
Vining types can sprawl many feet, so give them space or train them on a sturdy trellis. Bush summer squash fit smaller beds but still need airflow between plants.
Follow spacing on the seed packet or in your extension publication. Crowded plants invite mildew and reduce yield.
Mulch around plants to keep weeds down and conserve water. Place a board, straw or mulch under developing fruit to keep it off wet soil, which helps prevent rot and blemishes on the underside.
- Bush types: smaller footprint
- Vining types: need room or trellis
- Mulch to suppress weeds and hold moisture
- Rotate away from other squash relatives
How do I water and feed them?
Squash have big leaves and use a lot of water. Water deeply at the base, especially during flowering and fruit growth. Avoid wetting leaves, which encourages mildew.
Use a soil test to guide feeding. Heavy nitrogen can give big vines and few fruit.
Hard-rinded fruit left on the vine too long into a cold fall can be damaged by frost, so watch the forecast and cut mature fruit before a hard freeze, leaving a short stem attached.
- Water deeply at the base of the plant
- Skip overhead watering late in the day
- Mulch to hold moisture
- Test soil before feeding
Why are there flowers but no fruit?
Squash plants have separate male and female flowers. Males usually appear first, so early flowers dropping is normal. Fruit forms only when bees or other insects move pollen to female flowers.
If pollinators are scarce, you can ask your extension office about hand pollination. Protect bees by avoiding spray use during bloom, and always follow the label.
Check plants every day or two in the flowering period, since a female flower is open for only a short time. If you see fruit starting to form and then shriveling, poor pollination is a likely cause.
What pests and diseases should I watch for?
Squash bugs, vine borers, cucumber beetles and powdery mildew are common problems. Check the undersides of leaves and the base of stems regularly. Early detection makes control much easier.
Rotate crops, remove debris at season's end and ask your extension office about local pest timing and resistant varieties.
Inspect the base of stems for sawdust-like material or sudden wilting, which can be a sign of borers. If you see it, call your extension office quickly, since timing is important in dealing with this pest.
- Squash bugs on leaf undersides
- Sawdust-like material at stem base
- White powdery leaf coating
- Sudden wilting of one vine
How do I harvest and cure winter squash and pumpkins?
Harvest winter squash when the rind is hard and cannot be dented by a fingernail, and the stem is dry. Cut with a few inches of stem, never carry fruit by the stem, and bring them in before a hard frost.
Curing hardens rinds and improves storage. Ask your extension office for current guidance on curing and storing, and check stored squash regularly for soft spots.
Do not wash winter squash before storing, and handle fruit gently since bruises shorten storage life. Store in a cool, dry place with good airflow and use the fruit with any damage first.
Key takeaways
- Choose summer or winter types for your goal
- Give vines room and plant in warm soil
- Expect male flowers first
- Cure and store winter squash carefully
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.