Acorn Squash Gardening Guide: How to Grow Acorn Squash

Acorn squash (Cucurbita pepo var. turbinata) is a winter squash variety with a stout, round, and ridged shape that resembles an acorn. Acorn squash rinds are deep green in color with bright orange and yellow patches. A mature acorn squash typically weighs one to two pounds and has a flavor similar to that of kabocha squash. Similar to delicata and spaghetti squash, acorn squash is considered a winter squash because its hard, thick skin allows you to store it for months after harvest without needing to refrigerate it. By contrast, summer squashes like zucchini have thin skins and spoil quickly. The growing season for acorn squash lasts from the last frost in early spring to the first frost in the fall.

You can grow acorn squash from seed in your home vegetable garden so long as you have 50 square feet of garden space.

1. 1. Plant after the last frost. Squash plants are sensitive to frost, so you’ll want to wait until temperatures are warm enough to plant your seeds outdoors. To provide enough warmth for germination, plant your seeds when soil temperatures reach 60 degrees Fahrenheit and there's no longer any danger of frost. You can also start your acorn squash seeds indoors and move them outside once the seedlings are established.
2. 2. Commit to a spot. Acorn squash plants do not like their roots to be disturbed and don't respond well to transplanting after the seedling stage. If you plan to start your seeds indoors, plant them in biodegradable peat pots that will dissolve into the ground. When planting your seeds outdoors, choose a spacious area that receives full sun.
3. 3. Prepare the soil. Acorn squash need well-draining soil that’s rich in organic matter. Acorn squash plants also require enough room for their complex root system. Till the soil to a depth of about 8 inches to ensure the earth is loose and can accommodate the plant's roots.
4. 4. Create a hill and plant your seeds. Just like butternut squash and other vining varieties, acorn squash is planted in a hill. To make a hill for your acorn squash plants, mound up soil to about a foot tall and plant five to six acorn squash seeds per hill. Dig one small hole for each seed with a depth of about one inch. Drop your seeds inside their holes and loosely cover them with topsoil. If you're planting a bush variety in containers, you can skip this step.

With a few gardening tips, growing acorn squash can be relatively easy.

1. 1. Keep the area free of weeds. Weeds can disturb the delicate root system of young plants. Pull up any weeds as soon as you see them begin to pop up, being careful not to disturb the root system.
2. 2. Remove squash bugs and other pests. If you see small beetles that resemble a fingernail, you've got squash bugs. These pests lay their eggs underneath the leaves and use their antennae to suck out the sap, causing the plants to wilt and die. Regularly check the undersides of your acorn squash leaves and remove eggs as soon as you spot them. Applying insecticidal soaps or neem oil can also help keep pests at bay. For an insecticide-free option, cover your plants with row covers (semi-transparent fabric designed for plants) to deter pests. You can use the same tactics to remove other pests that gravitate to squash plants like aphids and striped cucumber beetles.
3. 3. Space them out to prevent disease. Squash plants are prone to powdery mildew, a fungus disease that turns the leaves grayish-white. Proper spacing and thinning will help increase airflow around the plants and reduce their chances of getting the disease.
4. 4. Fertilize your plants. As heavy feeders that require a lot of nutrients, acorn squash responds well to fertilizer. In addition to planting your seeds in soil that's rich in organic matter, fertilizing your plants with a compost tea or liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks during the growing season will help keep them healthy. Alternatively, you can add compost or manure to your soil hills in the middle of the growing season.

Acorn squash is ready to harvest just before the first hard frost of the season. You'll know your fruits are ready when the skin is thick and resists being pierced by a fingernail. When it's ready, cut your squash from the vine, leaving about an inch of the stem behind. It's important to cut, not pull, your squash from the vine. Acorn squash will continue to ripen and will be ready to eat about 10 days after harvest. Store your acorn squash in a cool, dry place, and they’ll keep for up to three months.

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