Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Yellow Straightneck Squash is a popular variety of summer squash that is similar to zucchini. As the name suggests, this squash will produce prolifically throughout the summer and into the fall. The flavor is mild, buttery and slightly nutty, and tastes great in dishes such as ratatouille or garden vegetable lasagna. The flowers this plant produces are edible as well, or you can let them mature fully and leave the flower nectar for the pollinators like bees and butterflies. Ready to harvest in 50 to 60 days, this squash is a great addition to your vegetable garden.
NAME: Squash (Cucurbita pepo var. recticollis)
VARIETY: Yellow Early Prolific Straightneck
DAYS TO MATURITY: 50 – 60 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
TYPE: Annual
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 3 – 11
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
SOIL: Fertile soil with a pH between 6.5 – 7.0
PLANT HEIGHT: 24 – 38 inches
SPACING: 3 – 4 feet apart
TEMP: 55 – 95°F
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Start seeds 1 week before your last local spring frost.
Sow 2 seeds 1/2 inch deep in a cell tray or in 4 inch pots that have proper, 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, Yellow Straightneck 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 7.0, removing any surrounding weeds and adding ample compost.
Avoid getting the leaves wet as this can cause diseases such as rot or mildew.
Yellow Straightneck Squash plants have shallow root structures, so when the leaves begin to develop, add a layer of mulch to help conserve moisture, control weeds and keep the squashes clean from too much soil contact.
Yellow Straightneck Squash is ready for harvest when the fruits are firm, glossy, and a bright yellow color.
Yellow Straightneck Squash generally tastes best when harvested at smaller sizes; when the plant begins to produce lots of squashes, they should be picked every day or two, so they do not overgrow.
Use a sharp knife or pruning shears to cut the squash from the vine, leaving a short stem attached.
Harvest regularly to encourage continued production.
Handle the squash carefully to avoid bruising or damaging the skin.
