Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
White Bush Scallop Squash is a compact and bushy annual plant that belongs to the gourd family. The fruits of the Sweet Dumpling squash are small and typically round, resembling miniature pumpkins. They measure roughly 4 to 6 inches in diameter and have a flattened top and bottom. The skin is smooth, hard, and features creamy white or pale-yellow skin. The vines often spread along the ground, producing several fruits per plant. The leaves of the Sweet Dumpling squash plant are large, dark green, and deeply lobed. The plant requires warm temperatures and well-drained soil for optimal growth. This is a great squash variety for slicing and baking.
NAME: Squash (Cucurbita Pepo)
VARIETY: Early White Bush Scallop
DAYS TO MATURITY: 45 – 60 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Annual
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 3 – 11
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL: Fertile, loose soil with a pH 5.8 – 6.7
PLANT HEIGHT: 12 – 24 inches
SPACING: 36 – 48 inches apart
TEMP: 55 – 95°F
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Start seeds 2 weeks before your last local spring frost.
Sow 2 seeds 1/2 inch deep in a cell tray or in 4 inch pots that have properly moistened seed starting mix.
Provide a heated area or heat mats to keep the soil temps at 60 to 70°F.
Supply fluorescent/LED grow lights 3 inches above the cell trays or pots, 12 hours on, 12 hours off.
Keep the soil moist until seedlings sprout, germination will occur in 5 to 10 days.
Remove all but 1 seedling per each cell or pot as soon as they are 2 inches tall.
Once the soil reaches 60°F, direct sow into your pre-prepared beds, one seed 1/2 inch deep every 12 inches in rows that are spaced 3 feet apart.
Water generously and germination will occur in 5 to 10 days.
Once seedlings emerge, thin seedlings so they will are spaced 3 feet apart, which will allow them to have the space to fully mature and produce large crops; overcrowded plants will produce less.
In cool climates, Bush Scallop Squash seeds should be started indoors.
Prep your planting beds by picking a spot that gets full sun and has loose, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8, removing any surrounding weeds and adding ample compost.
Avoid getting the leaves wet as this can cause diseases such as rot or mildew.
Bush Scallop Squash plants have shallow root structures, so when the vines begin to develop, add a layer of mulch to help conserve moisture, control weeds and keep the squashes clean from too much soil contact.
White Bush Scallop Squash is ready for harvest when the fruits are small to medium-sized and have a creamy white color, which takes around 50-60 days.
Use a sharp knife or pruning shears to cut the squash from the vine, leaving a short stem attached.
Handle the squash carefully to avoid bruising or damaging the skin.
Harvest regularly to encourage continuous production throughout the growing season.
