I understand you want clarity on how long it takes to grow an acorn squash. Here you learn how much produce will be there while growing ACORN SQUASH PLANTS.
I have gained years of expertise in PLANTING and its RESULTS afterward. My devised methods are helpful to every new gardener.
You follow them without thinking twice and get those lovely acorn squashes! I rejoice in providing GARDENING INFORMATION to grow your own food.
Here you’re going to learn:
- What is an acorn squash?
- Steps to growing acorn squash
- When & how to harvest & more!
What is an Acorn Squash Plant?
Acorn squash (Cucurbita pepo var. turbinata) is a sturdy, spherical, and RIDGED WINTER SQUASH. It resembles an acorn. They have deep green rinds with patches of vibrant orange and yellow hue.
A mature fruit of acorn squash usually weighs one to two pounds and tastes like kabocha squash. Acorn squash, like DELICATA and SPAGHETTI SQUASH, is categorized as winter squash.
This is because of its THICK, HARD SKIN. It can be preserved for months after harvest without refrigeration. Its growing season runs from last spring’s frost to fall’s first frost.
Suggested reading: Squash Plant Identification: Get To Know Your Squashes Better
Steps to Grow Acorn Squash
You need about 50 square feet of gardening space to grow acorn squash from seeds. Following are the steps to grow acorn squash:
1. Plant Acorn Squash After The Last Frost
Acorn squash is sensitive to frost, even the last frost! It would help if you had WARMER CLIMATES to plant your acorn squash seeds. Plant them when soil temperatures have reached 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
This soil temperature provides enough warmth for the germination of acorn squash seeds. It also keeps them safe from the DANGER OF FROST.
One alternative is to grow them indoors. Then you can transfer the acorn squash seedlings or young plants OUTSIDE.
2. Choose A Particular Spot
As mentioned before about TRANSPLANTING SEEDLINGS OUTSIDE, don’t disturb their roots. Always plant them in biodegradable peat pots indoors.
They are DISSOLVABLE in the soil. When growing them outdoors in your vegetable garden, choose a garden space with full sun.
3. Get The Soil Ready
Acorn squash needs well-drained soil that is also RICH IN ORGANIC MATTER. They have a complex root system and thus require a good space.
For this, you need to TILL THE SOIL TO ABOUT 8 INCHES DEEP so that the earth becomes loose. This way, the land can accommodate the plant’s roots.
4. Make A Hill For Planting Seeds
Acorn squash is planted on a hill like BUTTERNUT SQUASH and other vining varieties. Make a hill by mounding soil to a foot height and plant five or six seeds inside each slope. To plant seeds, dig a hole of an inch for each seed.
Put seeds inside those holes and cover them with TOPSOIL LOOSELY. Skip this step in case you want to grow acorn squash of bush variety in containers (**Oh geez, less work!**).
When and How to Harvest Acorn Squash?
Before the first heavy frost of the growing season, acorn squash is ready to harvest. When a fingernail cannot puncture the fruit’s skin, get ready for fruit production.
Cut your SQUASH FROM THE VINE when it’s ready, and leave about an inch of the stem attached. Cutting them from the vine instead of pulling them to maintain the plant’s growing process is crucial.
The harvested acorn squash cannot be eaten immediately. It takes ten days after the bountiful harvest for them to mature and become edible. Summer squash, such as ZUCCHINI, has thin skin and degrades fast in contrast.
Acorn squash lasts up to three months when stored in a COLD, DRY ENVIRONMENT.
Caring Tips for Growing Acorn Squash Plant
Planting acorn squash can be made easy! Just follow caring and more gardening tips to grow acorn squash:
1. WEEDS can damage immature plant roots. So, pull weeds when they appear without disturbing the root system.
2. Due to the size of their plants, acorn squash are heavy feeders. Make sure your soil is rich, and regularly feed your plants a GOOD ALL-PURPOSE FERTILIZER.
3. Include a large amount of sunlight by keeping the plants in full sun.
4. Maintain a pH range of 5.5–6.8 for the soil and keep the soil moist to grow healthy acorn squash.
5. Grow the acorn squash plants 70 to 90 days before the first fall frost.
Managing Pests and Diseases
Gardening tips are complete with proper management of pests and diseases. Learn them one by one here.
Removing Common Pests
Squash bugs are FINGERNAIL-SIZED BEETLES that are often seen on acorn squash plants. These bugs lay eggs under acorn squash leaves and use their antennae to suck sap, causing plants to wilt and die.
To get rid of them, remove eggs from the undersides of acorn squash leaves whenever you see them. You also use insecticidal soaps and neem oil to keep pests away. Use row covers (semi-transparent plant cloth) if you want to keep everything organic.
Cover your plants to discourage pests without insecticides. Remove aphids, striped cucumber beetles, and other squash pests in the same way.
Preventing Disease
Spread the squash plants out to avoid spreading any disease. A fungal disease called POWDERY MILDEW can affect squash plants. It causes the leaves to turn grayish-white.
It is possible to lessen the likelihood of a plant contracting a disease. For this, increase the airflow around the plants through proper spacing and thinning.
FAQs about Acorn Squash Plant
1. How many acorn squashes will one plant produce?
A plant produces a lot of acorn squash, but it depends on its specific types. For instance, a kind of acorn squash like Honey Bear can produce up to FIVE FRUITS on a single plant.
2. Should you prune acorn squash plants?
If you have good space, don’t prune acorn squash plants, a winter squash. But you might choose to prune the vine’s end IN EARLY TO MID-AUGUST. This way, the plant focuses its energy on maturing fruit and doesn’t develop foliage and fruit.
3. What can you not plant near acorn squash?
You should keep squashes well away from potatoes, onions, and other root vegetables. They are ENEMIES OF SQUASHES. Both these and pumpkins are heavy feeders, so pairing them doesn’t work well.
4. How do I save my acorn squash seeds for next year?
First, clean the seeds. Then DRY SEEDS in a single layer on a paper towel. Always keep them in a dry place and away from the sun. Store them in an envelope in a cold spot after they’ve dried entirely in 3 to 7 days.
What’s Next
Learning what acorn squash is to plant them seamlessly is a cherry on top. Going through STEPWISE PLANTING and then waiting for harvest time.
That’s when you learn about the time and how to harvest acorn squash. Next came up with caring tips for these plants and MANAGEMENT OF PESTS & DISEASES.
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