Step-by-Step Growing Guide
Winter squash flourishes in deep, fertile, well-draining soil with a pH of 6.0–6.8. Prepare hills or mounds 60 cm across with a generous bucket of compost and aged manure worked into each. Sow 3 seeds per hill at 2.5 cm depth after the last frost when soil reaches 18°C, thinning to the strongest plant. Space hills 2–3 metres apart for vining types; semi-bush types can be 1.2 metres. Water deeply and infrequently — 25–30 mm per week — applying directly to the root zone to keep foliage dry and reduce disease. Do not water overhead once fruit is set. Apply a balanced fertiliser at planting, then switch to a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus formula at flowering to promote fruit development over vine growth. Foliar boron spray at bloom can improve fruit set. Pinch off small fruits at season's end to redirect energy to mature squash.