You want to plant a spaghetti squash for the first time and have many questions about it? Then you've come to the right place! Here you will learn everything you need to know about growing pumpkins.
If you love squash as much as I do, and have room in your garden, there's nothing to stop you from trying to grow one yourself. It's not that hard to plant a spaghetti squash.
It's actually really fun to watch the plant grow.
But if you want to grow a pumpkin for the first time, you probably have a lot of questions. I'll tell you what to look for when you want to grow a spaghetti squash.
Table of contents
Planting spaghetti squash - the peculiarities of the plant
Pumpkins love humus-rich, evenly moist sandy soils just as well as loamy soils. They are quite undemanding, however, they are among the heavy feeders. This means that they need and draw a lot of nutrients from the soil. So unless you put it right near a compost pile, you'll need to fertilize the plant regularly.
Pumpkins need a lot of sun - at least six hours a day is best.
If you want to plant a spaghetti squash, you also need a lot of space. Pumpkins grow very long shoots - depending on the quality of the soil and location, the tendrils can grow up to 5 meters long. So you'll need that space. The plant can grow directly on the ground or you can provide it with a climbing support.
To protect them from predators, it is worthwhile to resort to a climbing aid. If you have a hedge, you can immediately convert it and let the plant grow directly along the hedge. So it is safe from slugs and gets a lot of sun.
These peculiarities apply to all pumpkin plants - from spaghetti to Hokkaido and ornamental pumpkin.
The pumpkin itself has a fibrous flesh when fully ripe. After cooking or baking, it looks like spaghetti, which is where it gets its name. It tastes especially delicious when served with a spicy tomato sauce or filled with vegetables and topped with cheese. But more about that later :)
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What you need to pay attention to when sowing
If you have chosen ready-made plants from the garden store, you can skip this point and scroll a little further.
A pumpkin is very easy to sow yourself. The seeds germinate quickly and easily.
To grow ahead or not, is the question. The great advantage of pre-growing is that your plant is strengthened and moves outdoors, so it is already quite robust.
There is hardly a better snack for slugs than young plants. If you have a lot of slugs, it is worthwhile to grow them on the windowsill. If you choose direct seeding outdoors, you should use 3x as many seeds as you want to have plants, so there is a good chance that some will survive the first hard time.
You need seeds, a sunny place, flower pots and fine growing soil.
If you make sure that the plants get a sunny place for germination, then nothing can go wrong. Pumpkin seedlings are very hardy and insensitive. The only thing they do not like: cold drafts.
The right time
Pumpkins very quickly grow tendrils. So it makes little sense to start growing too early. Unless you have a large winter garden. If you start too early, the seeds will sprout quickly and take up a lot of space. When repotting outdoors, large plants often find it harder to get a foothold.
But in principle, pumpkins are much more comfortable outside. The best light conditions for pre-growing are from April onwards.
The right time depends on where you want to plant the spaghetti squash.
- From mid-April you can grow them on the windowsill.
- Outdoors, you sow pumpkins from the end of April or beginning of May.
In a sunny place with plenty of good soil, pumpkins grow very rapidly. You can sow them in a sunny place until the end of May.
This is what you need to pay attention to when sowing cucumbers!
Sowing pumpkin: the step by step instructions
So you've decided to go for seeds? Then you can ensure your pumpkin seeds an easy start in life by following these instructions.
1. prepare the seeds
This step is not mandatory. You can just stick the seeds in the soil. But I have noticed that they germinate faster if you do this.
Put the pumpkin seeds in lukewarm water for two hours. They now soak up with the water and will sprout more quickly. If you want, you can also put seeds in chamomile tea. This will prevent mold growth.
After two hours you will notice that the seeds have increased significantly in volume. They feel slimy and are ready to move into the soil.
2. prepare the earth
Whether you want to plant a spaghetti squash or any other plant, this is a step I really encourage you to take. If you've ever grown seeds indoors, you'll know this problem: black gnats.
They are also called fungus gnats. They make life difficult for both you and your plants. The larvae of the gnat feed on the roots of the plant. Especially for seedlings this is no fun - they become small, puny and many do not survive.
I heat the growing medium in the microwave. 4 minutes at full power will kill any larvae. Let the soil cool down after that and it's ready to go.
3. sow the pumpkins
Now we come to the actual sowing. When seeds, soil and pots are ready and a warm windowsill waiting, you can start.
- Fill the pots with soil.
- Moisten the soil with a spray bottle.
- Place the seeds on the soil and cover them with soil to the thickness of a finger.
- Depending on the planter, you can give 2-3 seeds per pot.
- Press the soil lightly with your fingers. There should still be about 1-2 cm of space at the top.
- Place the pots on the window sill.
- Cover each pot with cling film. This will ensure that the soil does not dry out and that the seeds are kept warm.
4. wait until you can plant the spaghetti squash
You must now make sure that the soil is always moist. The temperature should be at least 20 degrees, so that the seeds grow quickly. Even better - 25 ° Celsius.
Take the film off for an hour every day to prevent mold.
The pumpkins germinate within 8 days.
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How to plant a spaghetti squash step by step
Whether you grew the plant from your own seeds or bought a plant, it does not matter from now on. Just make sure that the spaghetti squash is about 20 centimeters high. Then the seedlings will be strong enough to get to their final place.
Very important: Do not put pumpkins outside before the Ice Saints. So not before mid-May. Until then, it can get quite cold at night, which the plants do not forgive you.
Now it's getting serious for the pumpkin. From the windowsill it goes directly into the vegetable patch or compost pile. Remember: the long tendrils need a lot of space to spread.
Because the pumpkin is a heavy eater, it will draw nutrients from the soil very quickly. So keep enough distance from other plants, they will grow puny around him.
The more space the plant has, the more fruits it will develop.
You do the plant a great pleasure if you put it on or near the compost heap. Then you do not need to fertilize. In the vegetable patch, it is worthwhile to use a fertilizer once a month.
Plant the spaghetti squash
- Take the plant out of the pot, make a hole 15-20 cm deep in the ground.
- Put the pumpkin in the ground until the first small leaves.
- Pile up a little soil and cover the soil with freshly cut grass, so the soil stays moist longer and warms up faster.
- Do not plant the pumpkin at midday. This means great stress for the plant. Better: either early morning or late afternoon, when no direct sun shines on the plant.
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How to care for a pumpkin
At the very beginning it is enough to regularly remove the weeds around the plant. If it is very dry, you should also water. Tip: Do not water in the evening, because then you will attract slugs. It is best to water in the early morning.
In the first three days after transplanting, you should water the pumpkin every day. Then you will soon see that the plant becomes strong and really gets going. Once it has extended its roots, then it will get the water itself, unless it is really very dry.
In the pot, of course, the plant needs water every day and regular fertilizer. At the compost heap no fertilizer at all, and in the vegetable patch in between times a little fertilizer.
Attention: mildew
Pumpkins, like cucumbers, are very sensitive to powdery mildew. If it rains a lot in the summer, you notice the infestation especially quickly. On the leaves form white spots, then they turn yellow and die.
You don't have to use chemicals, powdery mildew can be controlled quite well with home remedies. I have dedicated a separate post to this topic.
What to look for when planting a spaghetti squash in a pot
So, you know now: a pumpkin is a heavy eater. This means that he needs a lot of nutrients and constantly. That's why growing it in a pot is anything but easy. You have to find the balance between overfertilization and too little fertilizer.
Most often, the supply of nutrients in the pot is enough for a maximum of one pumpkin. Also, the soil usually becomes quite solid, which does not please the plant.
Pumpkins root both shallowly and with a deep taproot. If you decide to use a pot, you must choose a very large one and water the plant with liquid fertilizer every 3 weeks.
I recommend you to take a pot with at least 30 liters and high quality potting soil. In the soil itself is already incorporated fertilizer, so you do not need to fertilize the first 3 weeks, but after that regularly.
How to get seeds from a spaghetti squash
If you wish, you can obtain seeds yourself. To do this, you need to let a pumpkin overripe in the previous year. So just leave it on the plant until the leaves start to turn brown. Then you can be sure that next year you can plant a new spaghetti squash from it.
- Cut open the pumpkin and remove the seeds.
- Remove the pulp and place the seeds in a warm place to dry. Gladly also directly in the sun.
- After 3-4 days the seeds are dry. Now put them in a small tupperware box or plastic bag and don't forget to label them.
- Store the seeds in the dark at room temperature.
Most pumpkins from the supermarket are not suitable for obtaining seeds from them. They are simply too little ripe and therefore not properly formed.
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When to harvest the pumpkin
You were successful in growing spaghetti squash and the first fruits are forming? Very good! Like all its congeners, this variety is sensitive to frost. So all pumpkins need to go indoors before the first frost nights.
Cut the fruit by the stem with a knife. Leave the stem on the pumpkin, then it can be stored longer.
Spaghetti squash can be harvested in all degrees of ripeness. From very young and tender to mature fruit with hardr skin - all pumpkins are edible.
If the pumpkins are properly ripe, you can store them indoors for 3 months. In the cool and dark cellar often even until March.
Process the pumpkin
Under the shell of the spaghetti squash hides a big surprise. While it does not look very exciting from the outside, it has a special feature to offer inside.
Its flesh breaks down into long and firm-to-the-bite spaghetti when cooked. You can use it as a substitute for pasta. Therefore, all those who have resolved to eat less pasta love him.
The preparation is very simple. You can prepare it in the crock pot, oven or microwave.
If you want to cook the pumpkin, you must first prick the skin with a knife or fork. Depending on the size, put it in lightly boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes.
It is easier in the microwave or in the oven. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Put it in the microwave for 6-8 minutes or in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
Loosen the pulp with a fork and your spaghetti is ready!
Our conclusion
If you want to plant a spaghetti squash, it's anything but difficult. If you find a sunny place where it can spread and provide enough nutrients in the soil, you will be rewarded with many delicious pumpkins. Protect the plant well from slugs and cold in the beginning.
Good luck!
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