Seeds 5 Seeds (Cucurbita maxima)

Winter squash rewards patience with thick, deep-orange flesh that is dense, sweet, and pleasantly nutty, carried on vigorous trailing vines. Its hard, solid-coloured rind makes it a true keeper for the kitchen, shining in roasts, velvety soups, and smooth purees alike.

Planting

Choose a full-sun spot with at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. When direct-sowing outdoors, set seeds about 2.5 cm deep, and only once the soil at 5 cm depth has warmed to at least 18°C. To get a head start, sow indoors on their side around 1.3 cm deep in late spring at a steady 18-21°C, then transplant about 4 weeks later once seedlings show 2-3 true leaves, hardening them off first. Space vining plants 60-90 cm apart, with rows roughly 1.5-2 m apart. In Egypt, sow late January to March and again August to September.

Fertilizing

Apply phosphorus and potassium according to a soil test at planting. Once the vines begin to run and spread, side-dress with a nitrogen source such as 27-3-3. For container-grown plants, feed with a high-potassium liquid every 10-14 days once the first fruits start to swell.

Care

Give at least 2.5 cm of water weekly, using drip or soaker lines aimed at the soil rather than the leaves to limit disease. Watch for squash bugs, vine borers, and cucumber beetles, and protect young seedlings from slugs and snails. Good airflow and steady watering help fend off powdery mildew. Harvest after 85-120 days when the rind is deeply coloured and too hard to dent with a fingernail; cut the fruit leaving about 5 cm of stem and gather before any hard frost.