Summer Squash Growing Guide

When deciding on what to plant in a Spring garden, growing summer squash is a no-brainer. There are so many different varieties to choose from and they are generally pretty easy to grow, making them a favorite for beginner gardeners. Unlike winter squash, summer squash typically grows in a bush habit similar to determinate tomatoes. So while they don’t need to be trellised, they do need a lot of room to sprawl out. But the silver lining is that most summer squash varieties are heavy producers so you don’t have to have a lot of plants to get a good, healthy harvest.  Summer squash is harvested when immature so the skins are thin and edible. But they don’t typically store for very long so they need to be eaten or preserved relatively quickly after harvesting.  Like most pumpkins and some winter squash, summer squash belongs to the Curcibita pepo family and usually ranges in color from light green to bright yellow to even white. However, they do come in lots of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Below are some of the most popular types of summer squash we’ve commonly seen in home gardens.