The term 'squash' is an overarching term which refers to plants of the species Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata and C. pepo. Within the term, varieties are usually referred to by the season when they are eaten (e.g. winter squash or summer squash).

​Summer squash includes courgettes and crookneck squash, and are harvested when the fruits are immature. Our favourite variety is Cocozelle, a productive courgette producing dark and light green stripy fruit that makes a staple part of our summer diets.

​Winter squash includes pumpkins and other storage squash, and are harvested when the fruits are mature and have tough skins and seeds inside. Our favourite varieties are Black Futsu and Oregon Homestead Sweet Meat.

These crops are hungry and heat-loving. They hate cold and windy conditions so do not sow/ plant them out too early as they will suffer.

April is a good time to sow squash seeds in modules or pots. You can sow them directly outdoors in May but for best results we recommend sowing them under cover and then transplanting them, so they have a longer growing season.

The seeds need warmth to germinate, if you can keep them at 20C they'll germinate very fast. Once germinated the plants will grow quickly and may be ready to plant out in as little as three weeks if the weather has been warm.

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Once they have 2-4 true leaves the seedlings can be planted out in a warm spot into rich soil, with added manure or compost. If the nights will be cold it can be a good idea to cover the plants with fleece.

Another trick is to place a car tyre over each plant which creates a really nice microclimate for the plant to grow in. The black rubber absorbs the warmth from the sun and the height acts as a windbreak. Of course you may not want a load of old car tyres in your veg patch! ;)

There are also lots of other seeds you can sow in April, you can find a full list by clicking the button below.

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Happy sowing and growing

Fred, Ronja, and the rest of the team

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