Butternut Squash are a variety of winter squash. Unlike summer squash it is often eaten after the fruit reach the mature stage, it is often harvested after the rind harden and become thick. It stores well even without freezing or canning. It's a good source of carbohydrates, potassium, iron and fiber. And each Butternut Squash vine produce between 10 to 20 fruits, if you properly the care of the plant. Growing butternut squash in your home garden is easy if you follow this basic steps.
How To Plant Butternut Squash:
When all the danger of frost is over and the soil is well warmed that is the time to start planting your butternut squash. Butternut squash are a quite tender plant and the seedlings will freeze if there's any frost, and the seeds will only germinate if the soil is warm.
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Like many other vegetables that grow vines, butternut squash need the soil to be in small hill shape, about 18 inches high. This allow the soil to warm the seedling and the roots. Your soil should be well fertilized because butternut squash are heavy feeder, it takes a lot of fertilizer to get a big yield.
You should plant 5 to 6 seeds per hill, and plant them 4 inches apart and about 1 inch deep.
At the start keep the soil moist but not damp. The seeds will start sprouting in about 10 days.
When the seedling are about 6 inches high, remove the weakest seedling leaving just 3 seedlings per hill to grow, so you'll end up with the best plants.
Butternut squash take about 110 and 120 days until the fruits mature. But is your season is short you should start your seeds indoors to give your seeds a head start, giving theme enough time to complete there growth before the season end.
If you decide to start germinating the seeds indoors, then you'll need to start about 6 weeks before the last frost in your area.
How To Grow Butternut Squash:
Butternut squash will take up a lot of space in your garden, so you should give each hill an area about 50 square feet for the butternut squash to grow in. The butternut squash plant can grow vines up to 15 feet long.
Fertilize the butternut squash plant well through the growing season, if you regularly fertilize and keep the hill weed free your plant will yield a lot of crops for you.
Don’t cultivate the soil too deep because the roots are shallow.
Always watch for bugs and if the need arise, use insecticidal soap like Safer Brand - Insect Killing Soap. Or apply insecticides in the evening after the bees go back to there hive. By the way bees are essential to growing butternut squash successfully.
Your butternut squash will be ready for you to harvest when the squash skin become hard and hard to pierce with your thumbnail.
Butternut squash taste great roasted or boiled, and make a tasty substitute for pumpkin in pies.