Butternut Squash Seeds | Urban Farmer (2024)

FAQs

Should you soak butternut squash seeds before planting? ›

Examples of seeds that benefit from soaking include peas, beets, cucumber, corn, squash, pumpkin and beans. In a bowl, cover your seeds with warm water and leave to soak for 6-24 hours. Smaller seeds and those with thinner coats need the shorter time, and larger seeds with thicker coats need the longer period.

Don't throw away your butternut squash seeds; roast them instead! Roasted butternut squash seeds make a great snack or salad topper. Enjoy them plain or jazzed up with one of the variations below.

They will need a warm temperature to germinate but once the first pair of leaves have begun to emerge they can be moved to a lower temperature. To give the seed a fighting chance of success sow in small pots using peat-type compost and sow the seed pointed end down in a vertical position.

If you've bought your squash from a grocer or even a farmer's market, chances are good it's an F1 Hybrid. So yes, they'll grow, though the fruit they produce will most likely look nothing like what you're expecting. The seeds of most winter squash are delicious except for decorative gourds, which are poisonous.

Growing squash on a trellis has many benefits, including saving space in your garden, improving crop yield, and helping you grow plenty of healthy veggies to harvest and use in your cooking.

Before planting, allow the squash to ripen until it's almost but not quite rotting. Then be sure to separate the flesh from the seeds and then allow them to dry before planting. Select the largest, most mature seeds to plant.

Wash the seeds to remove any flesh and strings. Cure the seeds by laying them out in a single layer on a paper towel to dry. Store them this way in a place that is dry and out of direct sunlight. Once thoroughly dried, in 3 to 7 days, store them in an envelope in a cool dry place with the rest of your seed supply.

Sow seeds in groups of four to five at a depth of half an inch to an inch. Spacing the seeds about four inches apart will prevent overcrowding as the plants grow. Water the seedlings regularly. Butternut squash seeds require consistently damp soil until they establish themselves.

-The principle behind the soaking method is that viable, mature seeds are denser and will sink, while non-viable or immature seeds will float. -After scooping out the seeds, washing them to remove the stringy pulp, and letting them soak, discard the floaters and keep the ones that sink to the bottom.

Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. In about 10 days, the seeds will sprout.

Is butternut squash hard to grow? ›

Butternut squash is easy to grow from seed. Start indoors in early April by sowing two seeds per pot. Thin to one seedling and harden off outdoors after the last frosts before planting out in late May into well prepared beds.

Although winter squash often requires more days than summer squash to ripen, you can still plant a second crop between June 15 and July 1. Full sun requires direct light at least 6 hours/day; prefers 8 - 10 hours/day. Days to maturity: 60-100 days. Spacing: Seeds should be planted every 3 ft. to 4 ft.

Soaking seeds supplies your plants a jump start right at the beginning of their lives. The water both softens the seed shell and supplies water to the seed interior. Once soaked, seeds and the plants inside them use that moisture to grow and push out new growth.

You may want to experiment with different companion crops until you find the perfect combination to fit your personal tastes and growing conditions. Avoid planting zucchini and summer squash with all other vining plants which include cucumbers and sweet potatoes as well as pumpkins, winter squashes, and melons.

For butternut squash you can expect 5 or 6 fruits per plant through the growing season, for some larger squash and pumpkins you may only get 2 to 4.

Saving The Seeds

Allow the squash to sit for after-ripening for at least 3-6 weeks up to several months. Wash the seeds to remove any flesh and strings. Cure the seeds by laying them out in a single layer on a paper towel to dry. Store them this way in a place that is dry and out of direct sunlight.

By soaking the seed, it enables the new growth from the inside to push through the hard shell and grow. The seeds that could benefit from a good soaking include: corn, pumpkin, beans, chard, beets, and peas. The seeds you shouldn't soak include: carrots, lettuce, radish, celery, turnips, and spinach.