• Annual
• All zones
• Full sun
• Regular water

There are two basic types of squash. Both are planted in spring, and both are available in vining or space-saving bush varieties. Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, pattypan) are eaten when the fruit is small and tender; harvest 50 to 60 days after sowing. Winter squash form hard shells; they are harvested in fall (80 to 120 days after sowing) and can be stored for winter use. Sow seeds of bush types 1 foot apart in rows 3 to 5 feet apart; thin seedlings to 2 feet apart. Sow seeds of vining squash in hills spaced about 5 feet apart, placing four or five seeds in each hill; thin to two per hill.