When it comes to homegrown fruits and veggies, summer squash happens to be one of the most versatile and prolific growers out there. Not only do squash plants yield a large crop each summer, they can do so when grown in a garden or containers! This makes growing squash easy no matter what kind of garden space you’re working with. Read on to learn more about growing summer squash in containers.
What is a Summer Squash?
You’ll be surprised to learn that squash is a fruit, not a vegetable. Members of the squash family get divided into two categories: summer squash and winter squash. Interestingly, the main difference between the two seasonal squashes comes down to the maturity of the fruits when you harvest them.
Harvest summer squash when their young outer skin is still soft and edible. Examples of summer squash include zucchini, yellow squash, pattypan squash, and straight neck squash.
In comparison, winter squash will be more mature when harvested, and, due to the longer growing period, their outer skin will have hardened into an inedible rind. Examples of winter squash include acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and pumpkins.
How to Grow Summer Squash
When growing summer squash in containers, you’ll need to start 1-2 seeds in small 3” pots and allow them to germinate. Once placed in a bright, warm location with soil that’s kept evenly moist, your summer squash will germinate in as little as a week.
At two weeks, feed your summer squash babies with all-purpose fertilizer at quarter strength. Be careful not to overfeed your squash when it’s young, as the roots are susceptible to burning. However, once they are fully grown, be prepared to fertilize your rapidly growing squash every two weeks for the entire summer.
When it comes time to transplant your squash into larger containers, there are a few things you’ll want to have organized. First, the type of soil you use should be rich in organic material—summer squash love compost! Having the right soil components is the key to your success at growing summer squash, especially in containers.
Secondly, make sure you’re using containers that are large enough. As we mentioned earlier, squash are prolific growers, and one plant can quickly fill a 24” pot!
Make sure that if you’re growing multiple plants, you don’t overcrowd them by planting too many together in the same pot. We recommend using self-watering containers as squash can get a little fussy if they’re not consistently watered on a regular schedule.
And finally, make sure you place your summer squash in a location that receives plenty of sun! Squash will thrive in spots that get several hours of full sun a day.
“What Size Containers Should I Use for Growing Summer Squash?”
The bigger, the better! In general, one plant = 5-gallon pot. Two plants = 10-gallon pot.
Harvesting Your Summer Squash
A few last tips for growing summer squash. One plant grows both male and female flowers; however, only the females produce fruit.
If you want to eat the flowers—which have a mild squash flavor and add beautiful color to a summer salad—make sure you only eat male flowers, so you don’t hinder fruit production. You can tell male and female flowers apart by the distinct squash-shaped bulge the females have on their stems.
If you find yourself getting overrun with fruit—as zucchini is famously known to do—leaving the fruit on the vine will signal the plant to stop yielding. With that in mind, if it’s more fruit you’re after, make sure that you’re regularly harvesting your fruit so that the vines don’t slow or stop their production. The smaller your summer squash, the bigger the taste!
That’s all there is to know about successfully growing summer squash in containers. Stop into one of our locations for a visit and see all the different summer squash plants we have available for sale. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have and help select ideal squash containers, too!
