Centercut Squash Growing Guide

Scientific Name

Cucurbita moschata

Days to Maturity

70 days

Field Notes

— Soil Requirements: Fertile, well-drained soils.
— Plant Support: Consider trellising in intensive systems for straight fruit and ease of harvest. 
— Row Covers: Cover young plants to support early growth and protect from insect pests. Remove covers at flowering to ensure pollination and fruit set.
— Expect 4+ weeks of consistent picking. Leaving fruit on the plant will slow production of new young fruit. 

Spacing After Thinning/Transplanting

— Plant Spacing: 24”
— Row Spacing: 7-10’. Plan to manage a long vine habit. 

Direct Seeding

— Sow seeds ½” deep after last frost, when soil temperatures reach at least 70˚F.
— Sow 1-2 seeds every 24”; thin to one plant every 24”.
— 6-12 days to emergence.

Transplanting

— Start seeds indoors 2-3 weeks before last frost. Sow seeds ½” deep. Optimal temperature for germination is 80-90˚F. 6-12 days to emergence.
— Harden off gradually, protecting seedlings from wind, strong sun, hard rain and cold. 
— Transplant outdoors after last frost, when soil temperatures reach at least 70˚F. Do not disturb roots when transplanting. 

Container Growing 

Not recommended.

Pest + Disease Info

— Insect Pests: Cucumber beetles, squash bugs and aphids. Pyrethrin, spinosad, soaps, row cover or Blue Hubbard trap crops help prevent damage. Check undersides of leaves for eggs. Use best management practices such as crop rotation and removal of crop debris post-harvest to deter insect population growth.
— Diseases: Protect from powdery mildew. For fruit rots (anthracnose, scab, fusarium), bacterial wilt and viruses such as cucumber mosaic virus, maintain good air circulation and schedule watering to allow plants to dry fully.

Harvest

— Immature fruit should be harvested regularly at about banana diameter (1-1.5”) when the skin is green and slightly tacky. If the skin feels slick, the squash will have a coarser texture and shallower flavor. 
— Expect 4+ weeks of consistent picking. Leaving fruit on the plant will slow production of new young fruit. 

Storage

Immature tromboncino will store up to five days. Store whole and dry under plastic in refrigeration.