Squash - Growing Your Own / RHS Gardening

Watering

Squashes are thirsty plants, especially when fruiting, so water regularly in dry spells. Insufficient water can also encourage powdery mildew. Try not to wet the leaves – water directly onto the soil. To make this easier, sink a plant pot into the ground beside each plant, then pour the water into it. This ensures the water goes down to the roots. It’s also a good idea to insert a short cane A cane is a slender, straight, length of woody plant material, usually bamboo. Canes are primarily used as plant supports. The fruiting stems of blackberries, raspberries and hybrid berries (such as loganberries and tayberries) are also known as canes, so these crops are often referred to as cane fruit. beside trailing plants, so it’s easy to tell where the centre is after it has grown lots of leaves and long shoots. Use rainwater from a butt whenever possible, and ideally water early in the morning or in the evening, to reduce evaporation. For more water-saving tips, see our guides below.

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Mulching

After planting, cover the soil surface with a thick layer of mulch Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. , such as home-made garden compost, to help hold in moisture and reduce the need for watering. Leave a gap around the base of the plant stem though, to keep dampness away, which could lead to rotting.

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Feeding

Squashes growing in the ground shouldn’t need feeding, but to get a good crop in containers or growing bags it’s best to feed regularly. Apply an organic-based, high potassium liquid fertiliser every 10 to 14 days once the first fruits start to swell.

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Ripening winter squashes

With winter squashes, place a tile, brick or wooden board beneath larger fruits to lift them off the damp soil and prevent rotting. Also make sure they are exposed to full sun, to aid ripening.