The word “squash” describes a variety of pumpkins that comes in several different types ranging from butternut squash through to field pumpkins – yes, it’s technically also a type of squash – and they’re one of the easiest plants for even beginner gardeners to get growing.
They’re high in essential nutrients, and there are a thousand different recipes that call for the inclusion of squash. Plus, they’re absolutely delicious and there’s absolutely nothing better than having something on your plate that grew from your very own garden.
Many gardeners choose to grow squash from existing plants, but they can be just as successfully grown from seeds as well – and growing from seeds can be a lot more satisfying for gardeners, although it takes a little more care and time than simply transplanting an existing plant into the soil.
Here are 8 useful gardening tips on growing squash from seeds that everyone could use.
1. Choosing Seeds
One of the first things a gardener has to do when they want to plant any kind of squash is to select the variety and the seeds they intend to use. Squash isn’t just squash – just like with most plants, there are several different varieties including butternut squash and banana squash – although luckily for gardeners the majority of squash varieties prefer more or less the same conditions.
When choosing seeds, it’s usually best to buy ready-packed, sealed seeds: With some types of squash you don’t have a guarantee that they will germinate from seeds that you took from squash, so going with ready-packed seeds gives you more of a guarantee for successful planting.
Research the variety that you’ve chosen well beforehand: Some types of squash can vary greatly in size, and especially for this reason it’s best not to mix up the different varieties either in your garden or while seeds are in storage.