Growing Guides

Butternut Squash

How to grow Butternut Squash from seeds:

• Sowing: Waltham Butternut pumpkin seeds can be planted indoors a month before the last frost. Pumpkins do not tolerate transplanting well, so we recommend planting initially in peat pots, two seeds per pot, and later pruning a weaker seedling. Expose the seedlings outside for a few hours a week before transplanting so that they are stabbed. Plant the seedlings in rich soil one week after the last frost and with soil temperatures averaging 60 degrees F, 8-10′ apart in rows 10-12′ apart. To plant seeds directly, plant the seeds a week after frost to a depth of 1/2" deep, 3-4" apart, and thin to 8-10′ apart. Plant winter pumpkin seeds along with corn, but avoid potatoes.
• Plant Spacing: 3-4′.
• Growing of Butternut Squash: You should provide shelter during cold weather because Pumpkin seedlings do not tolerate frost well. Pumpkins are moisture-loving plants, so the soil should be moist, but don't get the leaves wet to prevent rot or mold. Use a layer of mulch tо, retain moisture, control weeds, and keep the pumpkins clean. By mid-summer, pinch off all the inflorescences to concentrate the plant's energy on the developing pumpkins. Waltham Butternut resists the squash borer.
• Butternut Squash Soil Requirements for: Well-drained rich soil. A warm temperature is required for germination. The plants themselves are delicate, and the seedlings mostly freeze at the slightest frost.
• Butternut Squash Seeds Days to Germination: 10-14 days.
• Light Preference of Butternut Squash: Full Sun.
• Life Cycle of Butternut Squash: Annual.
• How and When to Harvest Butternut Squash: Harvest squashes when the stem begins to dry, and cannot pierce the skin with a fingernail. Pumpkins don't like the cold, so harvest before the first frost by cutting off the stem with a sharp knife, leaving it 2-3 inches long. If the stem is broken, use it as soon as possible, as this will quickly spoil the pumpkin. Do not expose to water for long-term storage. Waltham Butternut can be harvested as young as a summer pumpkin or in the fall at full maturity.
• Butternut Squash Days to Maturity: 100 days.
• Butternut Squash Seed Saving: By the time the squash has been cured, the seeds are mature. Cut the pumpkin, remove the pulp with seeds. Then pour the mixture into a bowl of water to remove any remaining pulp; good seeds will drown. Spread them оut to dry for 2-3 weeks, stirring occasionally. Store seeds in a cool, dry place for up to 4 years.

FАST FACTS:

• Cоmmon Names: Butternut Squash
• Latin Name: Cucurbita moschata
• Species Origin: South and Central America
• Type: Open Pollinated, Heirloom, Warm Season
• Life Cycle: Annual
• USDА Zones:  3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
• Seеds per Ounce: 300
• Sunlight: Full Sun
• Height: 24 Inches
• Color: Orange
• Uses: Culinary