Squash is a favorite vegetable of the Pumpkin family. They can be eaten fried or stewed, and can also be stored for the winter. Doctors recommend including squash in their diet for people suffering from hypertension, vascular diseases or kidney problems. Previously, squash was only white. As a result of the efforts of breeders, this vegetable is now grown in different colors, shapes and sizes. For example, UFO squash is white and orange, Gosha is dark green, almost black. There are fruits with stripes or spots.
Depending on the timing of ripening, squash is divided into early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties. All varieties of squash have beneficial and healing properties. One of them is the beneficial effect on human vision due to the high content of lutein.
How to choose the right variety?
Depending on the needs, growing conditions and taste preferences, summer residents choose the appropriate variety. Varieties of vegetables differ not only in terms of ripening, but also in size, taste, color and shape. In order to eat fresh squash all summer and get a harvest for canning in the fall, experienced gardeners plant several different varieties at once.
The most popular varieties among summer residents are:
- Variety of squash UFO orange. Refers to ultra-early cultures. 40–45 days after planting, the first fruits appear. Flat and round vegetables come in orange or bright yellow. A special feature of the variety is the possibility of planting in the ground without first growing seedlings. The yield of the variety is high - up to 15 kg per bush. The use of these vegetables is universal. They are used for frying, stewing, stuffing, and canning.
- UFO white. This is a mid-season variety. Its fruits are white, have small teeth at the edges, and weigh up to 500 g. There are almost no seeds in the fruits. Young fruits are suitable for fresh consumption. Mature ones lose their taste. But thanks to their thick skin, they are stored for a long time in the winter.
- Sun. It belongs to small varieties, its fruits usually do not exceed 300 g. The bright yellow color corresponds to the name. Gardeners also value the plant as an ornamental crop. Its cup-shaped fruits will decorate any area. In cooking, these beautiful “cups” are used as dishes for baking dishes.
High productivity, resistance to various diseases and cold resistance make Solnyshka one of the dacha favorites among all types of squash. It is recommended to pick its fruits unripe. In this form they will be especially tasty after cooking.
- Sunny bunny. A variety valued for its high yield. Great for canning. It is distinguished by its small size, bright yellow fruits, which have very juicy and tasty pulp.
- Gosh. This variety stands out from the rest with its unusual color - dark green, turning into black. An early ripening variety, after a month and a half the first fruits appear. Gosha is famous for its good taste, productivity and resistance to disease. It has fruits with a maximum weight of 300 g. Small fruits are still very tasty, their flesh is tender and juicy.
- Disk. An early variety that has either white or pale green fruits weighing up to 400 g. They are round, the edges are almost smooth, without teeth. The thick skin allows them to be stored fresh for up to several months. The flesh is white and crisp, but not sweet.
- Cheburashka. They say that it is ultra-early ripening, since the first fruits appear within 35–40 days after planting. Cheburashka bears fruit for a long time and abundantly. Its smooth, dish-shaped fruits reach a weight of 400 g and are white in color. The variety is valued for its juicy and tender pulp. Another advantage of this species is its resistance to cold, which is why it thrives in northern regions.
- Umbrella. Semi-bush early ripening variety. It has a sweetish taste due to the high sugar content in the fruit. Umbrella has large, bell-shaped fruits, some of which reach 1.4 kg. The fruit color is white or light green.The downside is that they don’t last long when fresh.
- Piglet. Also an early ripening bush. Its advantage is that it can withstand long droughts. The fruits are small, growing up to a maximum of 300 g, but the pulp is juicy. The variety is suitable for both fresh consumption and pickling.
- Malachite. The description of the variety corresponds to the name. The fruits are dark green at first, but become lighter when ripe. The variety is practically not susceptible to diseases and is drought-resistant.
There are also small varieties of squash. Mini squash is very tasty, has universal use, stores well, and is easy to preserve and prepare. These varieties include squash Sunny Delight, Chartreuse, Solar Explosion, Mini Crumb and others.
Growing squash in an open garden, they are unpretentious and do not require special care. All varieties are suitable for cultivation in Russia.
The best predecessors for squash are potatoes, peas, onions, carrots, radishes, tomatoes.
How to plant and grow squash correctly?
Squash is grown from seeds; you can plant it directly into the ground or by first preparing the seedlings. Before sowing, the seeds are wrapped in gauze and soaked for a day in a solution of boric acid. After the required time, they are washed and dried.
To increase germination, the seeds are hardened. Wrapping them in gauze, they should be kept alternately warm and cold for three days.
For sowing, the land must be prepared in advance. The area should be well lit and warmed by the sun. It is dug up in the fall and fertilized with humus, wood ash, manure, and peat. The vegetable is planted in holes that are half a meter apart from each other. But if the garden area allows, the distance between the holes can be increased to 70 cm.This will help you harvest a large harvest and prevent the bushes from rotting.
The best time to sow seeds in open ground is the last days of May or the beginning of June. If planted earlier, the seeds may rot due to insufficient soil warming.
Growing seedlings allows you to grow a large harvest. Seedlings are kept at a temperature not lower than 18 and not higher than 25 degrees. Otherwise it will be weak and the plants will not take root. Water the seedlings moderately; do not allow the soil to become waterlogged. If it is grown under film covers, they should be opened and ventilated more often.
After several strong leaves appear, the squash is transplanted into prepared holes. Squash seedlings need active watering for the first time after planting and during the appearance of ovaries. Young squash bushes should be watered in the evening using warm water.
Further care consists of loosening the soil, weeding, and applying mineral fertilizers. The lower leaves and fruits should be checked periodically to remove any rotten ones.
Squash diseases
Squash are resistant to certain diseases. However, under certain conditions, they can also be exposed to it. Most often, this vegetable gets sick with diseases such as:
- White rot - light spots appear on the leaves and stems, gradually turning into ulcers.
- Black mold - brown spots appear on the plant, they turn into holes. If you do not get rid of the problem in time, black mold gradually spreads to the fruit. They dry up.
- Powdery mildew - the bush gradually becomes covered with a white coating, stops bearing fruit and dries out.
- Anthracnose develops at high humidity. In the absence of special treatments, the plant is completely destroyed.
Harvesting and storage
Experienced gardeners recommend harvesting squash when they are soft and not fully ripe. In this case they taste better. If the fruit is overripe and its skin has become hard, it is better to leave it for seeds. The fruit is cut from the bush along with the stalk.
Young and fresh squash are stored in a cool place for no more than 2 weeks. Ripe fruits are stored in the basement along with other vegetables.
Squash is recommended by doctors as a therapeutic and dietary food. Nutritionists say that this product, prepared in any form, is completely absorbed by the human body.
