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Annual Vegetable · 55 varieties

Winter Squash

Cucurbita moschata

Cucurbitaceae — the same plant family as cucumber, summer squash, melon, watermelon and 7 more here. Relatives share pests and diseases, which is why rotation plans group by family.

Winter Squash (Cucurbita moschata) is an annual vegetable. It wants full sun and pH 6–6.5 soil, with about 1–2 in of water weekly. It matures in about 60–100 days from sowing. Watch for squash bugs and powdery mildew. Below: its full sourced profile from 15 extension sources, plus a planting calendar timed to your frost dates.

Sun Full sun
Water Moderate
Matures 60–100 days — from seed from seed
Mature size 4–10 ft
Spacing 36–48 in
Soil pH 6–6.5
Frost Tender
When to plant winter squashtypical · zone 6b
Your zone
…or your ZIP, for your real frost dates

Germinating
Seedlings
Growing
Flowering
Fruit set
Ripening
Harvest
Curing

Typical dates for zone 6b — set your zone or ZIP for yours. This calendar assumes the crop is direct sown. Timing is a guide from the crop's sourced growth stages; confirm with your local frost dates and extension before you sow.

Growing winter squashevery fact says where it came from

What we will not put a number on

We give watering as a depth per week rather than gallons per plant, because that is how it is actually measured and how the published figures are written. A gallons-per-plant number depends on your spacing, your soil and whether the plant is in a pot — so it would look more precise than it is.

Site & soil

Sun
Full sun
Soil pH
6–6.5
Soil texture
Sandy, Loam, Well drained
Frost tolerance
Tender
Suffers in days above
90 °F
Suffers in nights above
70 °F

No published figure for the temperature that would kill it. We looked — where a number is missing here it is missing from the research, not skipped. The crop’s frost and heat tolerance above still applies.

The plant

Mature height
4–10 ft
Mature spread
3–25 ft
Growth rate
Fastest
Spacing in row
36–48 in
Between rows
72–96 in
Planting depth
0.75–2 in
Container size
8–10 gal — low end is the minimum, high end is better
Support
Self-supporting
Grown from
Direct sow, Transplant

Water & feeding

Water needs
Moderate
Water per week
1–2 in/wk
Critical water
Fruit set
Feeding
Heavy

Timing & fruiting

Days to maturity
60–100 days from seed
Harvest cues
Skin set, Fruit coloring
Chilling injury below
33 °F

There is no line here for how many weeks early to start it indoors and how long after the last frost to plant it out, because we have no figure to put there. We went looking and wrote down what we read — it is missing on purpose, not because nobody checked.

Planted again for autumn

South Carolina — Coastal Plain
Aug 1 – Aug 31
South Carolina — Piedmont
Not recommended here

Published by the extension service for its own regions, and quoted here for those regions only — converting them would mean assuming a frost date somewhere else. The chart says when, not whether to sow seed or set out plants, so we do not either. “Not recommended” is printed on the chart in place of dates, so it is a considered answer for that region and not a gap in what we looked up. Only South Carolina so far.

Sow by
late Aug typical · zone 6b

60 days to maturity from sowing, counted back from the first frost above. Not published for anywhere in particular: it is your own frost date and this crop's own figure, which is why it works wherever you are. A days-to-maturity figure is a catalog number for a good season rather than a promise, and a cold month moves it.

Edible parts per source: fruit, seed.

What tends to go wrongmost-cited first
PestsSquash bugsSquash vine borerStriped cucumber beetleSpotted cucumber beetleAphidsPicklewormSquash beetleSeed corn maggot
DiseasesPowdery mildewDowny mildewAnthracnoseFruit rotCucurbit virus

Compiled from the extensions cited below. Which ones actually show up depends on your region — your extension's local list is the last word.

⚠ Reported toxicityverbatim from cited sources

Different parts differ — the edible part is the fruit and seed; the notes below flag other parts or preparations.

PetsNon toxic to dogs, Non toxic to cats, Non toxic to horses

Recorded exactly as the source states it — not medical or veterinary advice. If a person or animal may have eaten a toxic part, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or your vet / the ASPCA line (888-426-4435).

Featured varieties55 with their own page
Angel Hair Spaghetti Spaghetti · 88d Autumn Frost Butternut · 100d Baby Blue Hubbard Squash Hubbard · 95d Black Futsu Squash Pumpkin Type · 105d Block Party Butternut Butternut · 100d Blue Ballet Hubbard Hubbard · 95d Blue Hubbard Squash Hubbard · 100d Bonbon Buttercup Squash Buttercup · 95d Burgess Buttercup Squash Buttercup · 95d Bush Delicata Delicata · 80d Butterbaby Butternut Butternut · 100d Butterbush Butternut Butternut · 87d Buttercup Squash Buttercup · 105d Butterscotch Butternut Butternut · 100d Candy Roaster Squash Banana · 112d Carnival Acorn Acorn · 85d Celebration Acorn Acorn · 80d Delicata Delicata · 100d Early Butternut Butternut · 82d Golden Hubbard Squash Hubbard · 105d Honey Bear Acorn Acorn · 85d Honeynut Butternut Butternut · 110d Jester Delicata · 95d Jumbo Pink Banana Squash Banana · 110d Kabocha Squash Kabocha · 90d Little Dipper Butternut Butternut · 104d Marmalade Kabocha Kabocha · 100d Metro Butternut Butternut · 105d Night Shift Acorn Acorn · 95d North Georgia Candy Roaster Banana · 100d Pink Banana Squash Banana · 105d Pinnacle Spaghetti Spaghetti · 85d Queensland Blue Squash Pumpkin Type · 105d Red Kuri Squash Kabocha · 92d Sibley Squash Banana · 100d Small Wonder Spaghetti Spaghetti · 75–80d Starry Night Acorn Acorn · 95d Sunshine Kabocha Squash Kabocha · 95d Sweet Dumpling Dumpling · 100d Sweet Jade Kabocha Kabocha · 95d Sweet Mama Kabocha Squash Kabocha · 88d Sweet Meat Squash Pumpkin Type · 95d Table Ace Acorn Acorn · 80d Table Queen Acorn Acorn · 90d Tetsukabuto Kabocha · 100d Thelma Sanders Acorn Acorn · 85d Tuffy Acorn Acorn · 90d Turk's Turban Squash Turban · 100d Turtle Moon Blue Kuri Kabocha Squash Kabocha · 95d Uncle David's Dakota Dessert Buttercup Buttercup · 95d Vegetable Spaghetti Spaghetti · 100d Waltham Butternut Butternut · 105d Winter Blush Kabocha Kabocha · 95d Winter Sweet Kabocha Kabocha · 95d Zeppelin Delicata Delicata · 100d

Open one and add it to your garden — it lights up here. The rest of the 55 are in the full list below.

All 55 varietiesthe ones with their own page are linked
Variety TypeHabit DaysColorWhat it is known for
Angel Hair Spaghetti F1 Spaghetti Vining 88 Brown
Autumn Frost F1 Butternut Vining 100 Brown Territorial Seed Company describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Baby Blue Hubbard Squash Hubbard Vining 95 Blue
Black Futsu Squash Heirloom Pumpkin Type Vining 105 Orange
Block Party Butternut F1 Butternut Vining 100 Brown Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Blue Ballet Hubbard Hubbard Vining 95 Blue Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Blue Hubbard Squash Heirloom Hubbard Vining 100 Blue
Bonbon Buttercup Squash F1 Buttercup Vining 95 Green
Burgess Buttercup Squash Heirloom Buttercup Vining 95 Green
Bush Delicata Delicata Bush 80 Striped
Butterbaby Butternut F1 Butternut Vining 100 Brown
Butterbush Butternut Butternut Bush 87 Brown
Buttercup Squash Heirloom Buttercup Vining 105 Green
Butterscotch Butternut F1 Butternut Vining 100 Brown
Candy Roaster Squash Heirloom Banana Vining 112 Pink
Carnival Acorn F1 Acorn Bush 85 Bicolor
Celebration Acorn F1 Acorn Bush 80 Bicolor
Delicata Heirloom Delicata Vining 100 Striped
Early Butternut F1 Butternut Vining 82 Brown
Golden Hubbard Squash Heirloom Hubbard Vining 105 Orange Urban Farmer Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Honey Bear Acorn F1 Acorn Bush 85 Green
Honeynut Butternut Butternut Vining 110 Brown
Jester F1 Delicata Vining 95 Bicolor
Jumbo Pink Banana Squash Heirloom Banana Vining 110 Pink Osborne Quality Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Kabocha Squash Heirloom Kabocha Vining 90 Green
Little Dipper Butternut F1 Butternut Vining 104 Brown
Marmalade Kabocha F1 Kabocha Vining 100 Orange Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Metro Butternut F1 Butternut Vining 105 Brown Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Night Shift Acorn F1 Acorn Vining 95 Green
North Georgia Candy Roaster Heirloom Banana Vining 100 Orange
Pink Banana Squash Heirloom Banana Vining 105 Pink
Pinnacle Spaghetti F1 Spaghetti Bush 85 Brown
Queensland Blue Squash Heirloom Pumpkin Type Vining 105 Blue Pinetree Garden Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Red Kuri Squash Heirloom Kabocha Vining 92 Orange
Sibley Squash Heirloom Banana Vining 100 Blue
Small Wonder Spaghetti F1 Spaghetti Vining 75–80 Brown
Starry Night Acorn F1 Acorn Bush 95 Green
Sunshine Kabocha Squash F1 Kabocha Vining 95 Orange
Sweet Dumpling Dumpling Vining 100 Striped
Sweet Jade Kabocha F1 Kabocha Vining 95 Green Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Sweet Mama Kabocha Squash F1 Kabocha Vining 88 Green
Sweet Meat Squash Heirloom Pumpkin Type Vining 95 Blue
Table Ace Acorn F1 Acorn Bush 80 Green
Table Queen Acorn Heirloom Acorn Vining 90 Green
Tetsukabuto F1 Kabocha Vining 100 Green Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Thelma Sanders Acorn Heirloom Acorn Vining 85 Brown
Tuffy Acorn Acorn Vining 90 Green
Turk's Turban Squash Heirloom Turban Vining 100 Bicolor
Turtle Moon Blue Kuri Kabocha Squash Kabocha Vining 95 Blue
Uncle David's Dakota Dessert Buttercup Heirloom Buttercup Vining 95 Green
Vegetable Spaghetti Heirloom Spaghetti Vining 100 Brown
Waltham Butternut Heirloom Butternut Vining 105 Brown Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Winter Blush Kabocha F1 Kabocha Vining 95 Orange Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Winter Sweet Kabocha F1 Kabocha Vining 95 White Johnny's Selected Seeds describes this askeeps a long time after picking
Zeppelin Delicata Delicata Vining 100 Striped
Sources15 cited · 10 organizations
  • ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
  • Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC
  • Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center
  • Colorado State University Extension (Colorado Master Gardener)
  • NC State Extension
  • UMass Extension (Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment)
  • University of Illinois Extension
  • University of Maryland Extension
  • University of Minnesota Extension
  • Utah State University Extension

We compile bare facts from these university-extension and horticultural sources, never copied prose. 21 of the 22 values on this page carry a citation. The rest are marked est; hover one and it says why — either nobody publishes a figure we could point at, or a person set it and attached no source. Figures vary with climate and seed source; confirm with your local extension before you buy.

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