Seeds, Squash Spaghetti (West Coast Seeds)

The pale yellow, oval fruits grow to 25cm (10") on long, productive vines. Spaghetti squash seeds keep well for meals right through winter. Boil or bake the whole fruits, and then cut lengthwise down the middle. It's then easy to fork out the fibrous interior that looks just like pasta. Enjoy it simply seasoned as is, or topped with your favourite pasta sauce. The yellow rind of this squash is smooth and very hard. After the fruits have ripened on the vines, give them a quick wipe down with a highly diluted bleach solution. If the skin is not nicked, the fruits will last for months.

Matures in 100 days. (Open-pollinated seeds)

Exposure Full-sun

Timing
Direct sow or transplant in late spring once the soil is warm. For transplants, start seeds indoors during the first two weeks of May. Optimal soil temperature: 25-35°C (77-95°F). Seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

Starting
Sow seeds 2cm (1″) deep. Sow 3 seeds in each spot where you want a plant to grow, and thin to the strongest plant. Space summer squash 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 90-120cm (36-48″) apart. Give winter squash and pumpkins even more room with a minimum of 90-120cm (36-48″) apart in rows 120-180cm (48-72″) apart.

Companion Planting
Companions: corn, lettuce, melons, peas, and radish. Avoid planting squash near Brassicas or potatoes. Borage is said to improve the growth and flavour of squash. Marigolds and nasturtium repel numerous squash pest insects.