DO YOU WANT TO GROW SPAGHETTI SQUASH? You’ve come to the RIGHT PLACE! Growing spaghetti squash is FUN, and you will LOVE the results!
If you want to enjoy the results, FOLLOW OUR GUIDE. We will tell you this plant’s hows, do’s, and don’ts! We have YEARS of experience growing this DELICIOUS fruit, and it’s time you get to it.
This plant is going to look BEAUTIFUL in your garden. Not only that, it’ll make your dishes more TASTEFUL, and everyone will LOVE your cooking EVEN MORE!
Introduction of Spaghetti Squash Plant
DID YOU KNOW Spaghetti squash is also called Vegetable spaghetti? Well, you must be thinking, WHY is the spaghetti squash called SPAGHETTI squash? Well, it takes its name after its STRINGY FLESH.
This is a UNIQUE vegetable. With this in your ingredients, you SPICE UP your meals and make everyone CRAVE for more! Plan to eat spaghetti squash? You shred the flesh into spaghetti-like stands when you cook the spaghetti squash!
The plant is identified by its LARGE leaves and yellow or orange fruit. COLORFUL, isn’t it? It certainly adds spice to the rice!
It’s REALLY HEALTHY. The low-carbohydrate is a GREAT alternative to pasta!
When to Plant Spaghetti Squash?
With squash, timing is EVERYTHING. You better know which season squash is yours. There are two varieties, summer, and winter. Spaghetti squash is from the WINTER squash family! Now remember this and hammer it in your head.
This means you PLANT the squash seeds right after spring. Sow seeds for these squash plants after the frost has gone. This ensures that even the weakest seedling will grow.
Spaghetti squash seeds are readily available and relatively easy to find. If you want to make the seeds sprout, you better be careful about the planting time.
In the start, you can’t just rely on the calendar! Keep an eye out for the weather forecasts. Keep your spaghetti squash seeds until you know the frost is gone. Right after that is the PERFECT time to sow seeds!
How to Start Growing Spaghetti Squash?
LET’S GET GROWING! Are you ready to have some FUN? Growing this winter squash plant is fun. It becomes even more EXCITING when you anticipate spaghetti noodles! Let’s get you an in-depth guide for spaghetti squash growing!
Location Matters!
Spaghetti squash is a warm-season crop. Now don’t confuse this with summer squash because this one grows in the summer. The part of harvesting spaghetti squash takes place in winter.
This crop wants to be LOVED by the sun. Spaghetti squash needs at least six hours of DIRECT sunlight EVERY DAY! Make sure that the location doesn’t have poorly draining soil as well.
Squash Seedlings
This is a technique you can use as a HACK for plant growth. The growing season is after frost, right? Well, START indoors! Start 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Fill your seed trays with compost and sow one seed per container.
They should be about a quarter of an inch deep. All you need to do now is maintain moisture and keep it in a warm location.
Is the frost date over? Has the last frost date REALLY passed? If so, you’re ready to transplant your seedlings into your garden! Spaghetti squash requires warm soil to grow, and now you’re on the fast track by dodging the first.
Keep Space
Spaghetti squash vines growing horizontally. When the vines begin to grow, you don’t want them to use up each other’s space, do you? So KEEP THEM APART. At least by 2-3 feet. Unless you plan to grow the vines vertically, you can space them closer.
Water & Fertilize
This winter, squash loves the moist soil. So be on the lookout to keep the soil moisture level on track. This doesn’t mean that you waterlog the poor plant. It requires well-drained soil at the same time for the squash roots to breathe. You’ll have to work to retain moisture and not overwater it.
You should fertilize the spaghetti squash plants regularly after every four weeks. Make sure to use a BALANCED fertilizer.
Support the Plant
Moral support is a MUST! Like most other squash, this one also produces HEAVY FRUIT only if you treat it nice! These spaghetti squashes fill up in weight! So make sure you give them support when needed. You use a trellis or a stake to support the vines.
If you want them to grow vertically, TRAIN your plants to grow up a wall or fence. GREAT idea, RIGHT?
LET IT GROW
Let this beautiful bright yellow fruit grow, and enjoy the experience. With good care and attention, you will enjoy the fruit of your hard work in squash spaghetti!
How and When to Harvest Spaghetti Squash?
Feels like a game of hide and seek with treasure! But don’t you worry! We’ll tell you exactly how to find that treasure chest. And it’ll be a treasure worth finding!
Size
Initially, you should keep an eye out for the size of the squash. Size is KEY! You don’t want to harvest the plant when it’s immature. A fully mature squash is about 8-10 inches long. Look out for the rind, it should be hard as well. Just squeeze it and see if it feels firm.
Take a look at the stem now. Ripe spaghetti squash should have a dry stem. This is a key sign to see if it’s ready to be harvested.
Color
Now you should look at the color. The squash will turn yellow when it’s close to harvest. It will also have a uniform color, with no variations. Any green spots on the plant mean that it’s not quite ready.
HARVEST!
When you’ve identified these things, you’ll know your squash is READY to harvest! It’s FINALLY time to reap the fruit! Literally. Just be careful when harvesting spaghetti squash, you don’t want to drop the treasure chest!
Use a good sharp pair of gardening shears to cut the stem. Leave an inch of stem attached to the fruit. This helps keep it fresh!
If you want the shelf life to be longer, store spaghetti squash in a cool dry place. But don’t make it wait! Eat during its FRESH!
When you’re ready to have cooked spaghetti squash, remove the seeds first. This is easily done using a fork to scrape out the strands of the flesh. Spaghetti squash makes delicious lasagna and squash curry!
Caring Tips for Spaghetti Squash
Planting
- As mentioned before, this is a warm-season crop. Make sure that you plant it once the danger of frost has passed.
- Sow seeds at a location with full sun and well-draining soil.
- GIVE IT SPACE TO GROW. The plants get HUGE! So, please give it a good amount of space to grow.
Watering
- The plant LOVES to stay consistently moist. It’s THIRSTY, so always give it a good drink of water EVERY WEEK.
- Please don’t go overboard while trying to keep it most. You don’t want to drown your plant!
- If you’re in central America or a trying area, your plant will be THIRSTIER! Water it more often.
Fertilizer
- Didn’t we tell you it gets HUGE? Well, it’s a heavy feeder. Make sure to give it a dose of fertilizer every 4-6 weeks. Don’t be shy to give it extra love with a healthy alternative like aged manure.
- Don’t be afraid to use organic matter.
Pests and Diseases
- This is a ROUGH and TOUGH plant but needs CARE from pests that attack squash.
- Vine borers like squash bugs are something to look out for.
- When the fruits develop, the risks get HIGHER. Look out for cucumber beetles!
Harvesting
- These mature fruits are delicate, like a flower. Handle them accordingly
- Please give them a good wash before eating.
- This winter squash produces a bountiful harvest and makes for delicious traditional pasta!
Pests and Disease Solving
Do you think your friends are drama queens? Wait till you grow this plant. It deserves love and attention, so it’s easier to look out for. Make sure to look out for these pests if you want a healthy fruit ready to harvest!
Cucumber Beetles
These beetles are THE ENEMY. They can wreak havoc on your growing spaghetti. You can outsmart them using row covers or handpicking them off the plants.
If you LOVE your winter squash, play classical music for your plants and keep the beetles away!
Vine Borers
- Growing spaghetti squash can get tricky with these sneaky pests. They bore into the stems.
- Protect your plants using a sticky barrier around the base or a natural insecticide.
Are you feeling ADVENTUROUS? Tell the vine borers to LEAVE YOUR SQUASH!
Powdery Mildew
- This fungal disease can cause a lot of damage to your winter squash.
- The powdery mildew appears on the leaves of your plants. So keep a lookout.
- Make sure there is good air circulation.
In short, pests and diseases are VILLAINS! But now you know how to keep your plant healthy AND LOVED!
Suggested reading: Squash Leaves Turning Yellow?
FAQs about Growing Spaghetti Squash
1. How long does it take a spaghetti squash to grow?
The growing season is right after the last frost. This plant typically takes 80-100 days from planting to harvest. This, of course, depends on factors like weather conditions and various plants. But be patient and give it time to mature.
2. Does spaghetti squash need a trellis?
The plant can grow to a considerable length. So you may require a trellis or some support for the plant to grow. The frame helps the plant grow onto something and supports the weight of the fruit. It also helps keep the fruit off the ground, which helps prevent rot.
3. Should I prune my spaghetti squash plant?
The spaghetti squash grows and stretches its area. So it’s always recommended to prune your plant after a few weeks of its vine growth. You don’t want the spaghetti squash plants to compete amongst themselves.
Also, removing any dead leaves and stems is a healthy thing to do. This will promote healthy growth.
What’s Next
Now you KNOW how to plant spaghetti squash! Get ready to eat spaghetti squash and experiment with your cooking skills. All the hard work will be worth the TASTE!
You’re going to be growing fruit by the dozen now that you know exactly what to do. You must be looking for more information like this, so keep following AsterGardening!
We will make your gardening fun and entertaining. You will love your squash spaghetti, so share this guide with your friends! Remember also to keep reading more. The more you read, the greener your thumb will get!
