How to Grow Winter Squash
Beginner-FriendlyCucurbita spp.
Hard-shelled squash harvested at full maturity and stored through winter. Includes butternut, acorn, delicata, kabocha, spaghetti, and hubbard types. Vining habit needs ample space or a sturdy trellis with fruit slings. Rich flavour and dense nutrition reward the long growing season.
Last updated: June 2026
Growing Notes
Direct sow after last frost when soil reaches 16 °C or start indoors 3–4 weeks early. Cure after harvest at 27 °C for 10 days to harden the skin and convert starch to sugar. Most types store 3–6 months in a cool dry place.
Popular Varieties
9 winter squash cultivars in our catalog.
Acorn Table Queen
85–95 days
Open-Pollinated
sweet orange flesh; compact vines; good for small gardens
- Height
- 12–71" (30–180 cm)
- Yield / plant
- —
- Avg fruit
- 1.5 lb (700 g)
- Support
- none
- Harvest
- once
- USDA Zones
- 3–10
- Seed saving
- easy
- Seed viability
- 4 years
Blue Hubbard
110–120 days
Open-Pollinated
excellent dry sweet orange flesh; outstanding keeper storing 5-6 months; maxima type; vigorous sprawling vines
- Height
- 24–118" (60–300 cm)
- Yield / plant
- —
- Avg fruit
- 12.1 lb (5500 g)
- Support
- none
- Harvest
- once
- USDA Zones
- 3–10
- Seed saving
- moderate
- Seed viability
- 4 years
Butterbaby Butternut
Open-Pollinated
- Avg fruit
- 1.5 lb (680 g)
- Support
- none
- Harvest
- once
Buttercup
105–105 days
Open-Pollinated
- Height
- 24–24" (61–61 cm)
- Avg fruit
- 4.5 lb (2041 g)
- Support
- none
- Harvest
- once
- USDA Zones
- 3–9
Butternut Waltham
95–110 days
Open-Pollinated
excellent keeper storing 4–6 months; moschata type resists vine borers
- Height
- 12–79" (30–200 cm)
- Yield / plant
- —
- Avg fruit
- 5.1 lb (2300 g)
- Support
- none
- Harvest
- once
- USDA Zones
- 3–10
- Seed saving
- easy
- Seed viability
- 4 years
Delicata
95–100 days
Open-Pollinated
edible thin skin; pepo type; compact vines suit small gardens; stores 2-3 months
- Height
- 12–71" (30–180 cm)
- Yield / plant
- —
- Avg fruit
- 1.5 lb (700 g)
- Support
- none
- Harvest
- once
- USDA Zones
- 3–10
- Seed saving
- easy
- Seed viability
- 4 years
Square Foot Spacing
¼ per sq ft
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