Summer Squash

When you mention summer squash most people automatically picture the dark green zucchini that are so popular in gardens found throughout the Juniata Valley.  Zucchini are but one type of summer squash. Summer squash are also called vegetable or Italian marrow.   They are a warm season vegetable that differs from the winter squash in that they are harvested before their rind hardens and the fruit matures.  As you drive around our part of the State and admire the beautifully planned gardens the large green bush type plant growing in those gardens are the summer squash. They do not spread like the fall and winter squash and pumpkins.

Summer squash can be categorized in accordance to their fruit.  The round and flattened plate type with scalloped edges are called patty pan or scallop squash.  They are usually white in color but some can be grown that are green or yellow.  Then there is the constricted neck which means they have a thinner section at the stem than at the blossom end of the fruit.  They are either crookneck, bent at the stem end of the fruit or straightneck and are usually only yellow.  And finally the most popular summer squash the cylindrical or club shaped Italian marrows, such as zucchini, cocozelle and caserta.  Their fruit is usually a shade of green but can be yellow to almost white in color.

Although many gardeners plant summer squash early for an early summer harvest you still can plant a crop for last summer and fall harvest now.  Sow two or three seeds 24 to 36 inches apart in a single row or you can plant four to five seeds in hills spaced 48 inches apart.  Place the seeds one inch deep and cover and once they germinate thin the plants to one vigorous seedling in the row or no more than two or three plants per hill.

Summer squash like well drained soil.  There root systems are shallow so you should mulch with good organic mulch.  This will help keep down weeds and provide aid in keeping moisture in the soil during the hot days of summer. 

Often gardeners pick the summer squash too late.  These plants develop very rapidly once they have pollinated, so you need to watch so they do not get too large and over mature. Since they grow so rapidly especially during hot humid weather they are usually ready to pick within 4 to 8 days after the plant has flowered.  Harvest the fruit when they are small and tender for best quality.  Most of the elongated varieties are best when they are 2 inches or less in diameter and 6 to 8 inches in length.  The patty pan variety should be harvested when they are 3 to 4 inches in diameter.  Once the fruit has grown large they can still be used in cooking.  The long large club shaped squash can be hollowed out and stuffed and baked or grated and used in baking breads and cakes.  You do not want to allow the summer squash fruit to become large, hard and seedy, this takes the strength from the plant that could be put toward producing more young higher quality fruit.

Summer squash produce both male and female flowers.  The female flower is what produces the fruit.  Both are often picked and used in salads.  Male blossoms are easily distinguished from the female blossoms.  The stem of the male blossom is thin and trim while the stem of the female blossom is very thick.  At the base of the female flower below the petals is a small bulge, which is the developing squash.

Cucumber beetles, attack summer squash seedling, vines and young fruit.  Squash bugs attack vines as the fruit begin to set and will increase in numbers through late summer and can be very damaging to the maturing fruit.  They hatch and travel in groups until they reach maturity.  There are several insecticides available to the home gardener for use in controlling these two pests.

One question often asked in the Extension Office is: Does summer squash cross with winter squash?  Summer squash varieties can cross with one another, acorn squash and jack-o’-lantern pumpkins. The result of cross pollination will not be evident in the current crop but the seeds from that crop should not be used the following year.  You do not need to worry about summer squash crossing with your melons or cucumbers.

Never peel summer squash because that is where most of its nutrients hide.  Because they are harvest as immature fruit they are considerably lower in nutritional value than winter varieties.

Summer squash can be grilled, steamed, boiled, sautéed, fried or used in stir fry recipes.  They mix well with other summer vegetables and summer squash can be used interchangeably in most recipes.  Canning is not recommended but you can blanch and freeze cubes or slices of summer squash or grate and freeze zucchini unblanched for use in making zucchini bread this winter.
 
Due to the weather conditions this spring vegetable crops are late so if you are going to your favorite farmer’s market some produce will be missing until later in the season.