Top down view of different colors and types of winter squash.

Winter Squash

Winter Squash is are types of cucurbits that feature tough outer skins that make them excellent for fall and winter storage. This tough skin is what sets them apart from their siblings, summer squash.  Use our guides down below to learn how to plant and grow winter squash, read about the various types available, and how to harvest and use it to provide tasty nutritious meals for your family.

How to Plant and Grow Butterkin Squash

A horizontal photo of a Butterkin squash on a wooden table. In the background are several other varieties of winter squashes.

‘Butterkin’ is a hybrid cross between a pumpkin and a butternut squash, giving you the rounded shape of a pumpkin with the sweet nutty flavor of a butternut. This winter squash variety is relatively low-maintenance and can be stored up to six months after curing. Learn how to plant and grow ‘Butterkin’ in this guide.

How to Save Pumpkin Seeds from Your Garden to Roast and Eat

A close up horizontal image of two hands using a metal spoon to scoop out the flesh from an orange pumpkins.

Whether you grow field, pie, or hull-less pumpkin varieties, saving the seeds to eat is a bonus! Here’s how to pick the best varieties to grow if you want to roast the seeds, and how to spot the winter squash with the most seeds. Follow these selection and collection tips for a nutritious harvest ready to roast.

How to Hand-Pollinate Your Pumpkin Plants

A close up of a small pumpkin just starting to develop, pictured amongst vines and foliage, with a large orange male flower in the background.

If you’re growing your pumpkins indoors or in a greenhouse, or simply don’t have many bees around, you might be wondering how you’ll get any fruit. Pumpkin pollination requires bees, after all. But here’s a secret: you can hand pollinate your own gourds. Learn everything you need to know in our guide. Read more now.

The Complete Guide to Growing Winter Squash

Four butternut squash growing on a green vine with large green leaves, on a bed of dried brown leaves.

Did you know there’s a solid plan you can follow to ensure that your winter squash produce maximum harvests? Get expert tips for planting, tending, and picking all of your favorite varieties – including butternut, acorn, pumpkin, and spaghetti. Read more now on Gardener’s Path to learn how to grow your own at home.

How to Plant and Grow Delicata Squash

A close up horizontal image of a pile of 'Delicata' squash at a grocery store.

‘Delicata’ squash is delicate and delicious when it comes to the texture and flavor, but there’s nothing delicate about it in the garden. It’s disease-resistant and resilient, and one plant will give you a massive harvest. Learn about planting, caring for, and using up all your glorious ‘Delicata’ squash in this guide.

How to Plant and Grow Calabaza Squash

A close up horizontal image of a harvested and cured calabaza squash in a pile in storage.

Looking for a squash that produces massive fruits that are full of dense, sweet flesh? How about one that is resistant to disease and thrives in hot temperatures? It’s time to learn more about delicious calabaza squash, an heirloom type that originated in South America and is gaining in popularity. Read more now.

How to Plant and Grow Butternut Squash

A close up horizontal image of butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) growing vertically, with fruits ripening on the vine.

Delicious and nutrient-rich, butternut squash are pretty, tan-colored gourds with dense flesh that are grown as warm-season annuals. The trailing vines are cultivated in mounds or hills, but compact varieties are also suited for containers and small gardens. Learn how to plant and grow for butternut squash in this guide.

How to Plant and Grow Spaghetti Squash

A close up horizontal image of a spaghetti squash ripening on the vine pictured in light filtered sunshine.

Spaghetti squash is a type of winter squash that has spaghetti-like strands commonly used as an alternative to starchy noodles. The plants are heat tolerant and easy to cultivate, and can even grow in small space gardens with trellising. Learn how to plant and grow your own in this guide. Read more now.

11 of the Best Winter Squash Varieties

A close up horizontal image of a pile of different types of winter squash.

Thinking of growing winter squash? Make sure to choose the best variety to match the length of your growing season and the size of your garden. And of course, you’ll want to pick a cultivar that will please your palate too! Keep reading to discover 11 of the best winter squash cultivars and find your new favorite.

How to Prevent and Treat Powdery Mildew on Pumpkin Plants

A close up horizontal image of a large green leaf covered in a white fungal coating with small developing fruit in the background pictured on a soft focus background.

Pumpkin plants are highly susceptible to powdery mildew, a fungal infection can affect the quality of the fruit. In severe cases, it can destroy your whole crop. However, there are treatments available and preventative measures you can take. Learn how to prevent and treat powdery mildew on your pumpkins in this guide.

How to Train Pumpkins to Grow on a Trellis

A close up horizontal image of a large pumpkin with the vine trained to grow vertically and the fruit supported by a large rock on the side of a raised wooden garden bed.

Is your pumpkin vine taking over the garden, growing faster than you can contain it? Don’t lose hope. Growing your gourds vertically can tame those unruly vines, and training pumpkins on a trellis also helps to keep them free of pests and disease. To learn everything you need to know, read more now.

Nutrition and Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds

A close up horizontal image of a small ceramic bowl containing cleaned, roasted seeds, set on a wooden surface. In the background are two ripe orange pumpkins in soft focus.

The culinary value of pumpkins goes beyond enjoying the tasty flesh in soups and pies – the seeds can be just as useful as a healthy snack that’s packed with essential nutrients. Making your own roasted pumpkin seeds from homegrown squash is a simple way to help utilize all parts of the pumpkin. Read on to learn more.

11 of the Best Pumpkin Varieties for Cooking

A close up of two winter gourds growing on the vine, with bright orange skin, straw mulch on the ground, and a metal fence to the right of the frame.

Carving is cool, but it’s also fun to grow pumpkins that are great for cooking. From heirloom giants to hybrid minis, these 11 pumpkin picks are a home chef’s dream. Try them in your favorite fall soups, breads, pancakes, and even pumpkin lasagna, and freeze the excess from your bumper crop to enjoy all year long.

How and When to Fertilize Your Pumpkin Plants

A close up of a metal spade applying granular fertilizer to a raised garden bed containing pumpkins, marigolds, and lavender.

If you’re growing pumpkins, you might be wondering how and when to fertilize your plants for an abundant harvest of gorgeous gourds. Pumpkins are heavy feeders, and the plants need different nutrients in different growth stages. Discover how to fertilize your plants with the right nutrients at the right times. Read more.

5 Reasons Why Your Pumpkin Isn’t Producing Fruit

A close up of a bee entering a bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flower, with foliage in soft focus in the background.

You’ve sown and nourished pumpkins, and they’ve grown vines, leaves, and flowers. But you’re not seeing any fruit at all. Or maybe you see some fruit, but far less than you expected. What went wrong? In this article, you’ll learn the top 5 reasons why your pumpkin isn’t fruiting, plus what to do next. Read more now.

When and How to Trim Pumpkin Vines

A close up of a large pumpkin patch with long trailing vines, large green leaves and small orange flowers, and developing fruits.

If you’re wondering how and when to prune your pumpkin vines to keep them healthy and productive, you might feel confused. By trimming your pumpkin plants, you’ll grow an abundant harvest of gourds, and minimize pest and disease issues. In this guide, you’ll discover which vines to trim, and how and when to do it.

The Best Companion Plants to Grow with Pumpkins

A garden scene with a pumpkin growing among a selection of other vegetables and plants.

Pumpkins are an excellent crop to grow for a bounty of gourds for fall decorations and, of course, pie. But what should you grow alongside your pumpkins? Learn about the best companion plants to grow in your pumpkin patch for pest control, soil improvement, and to maintain diversity in your garden. Read more now.

How to Grow Your Own Pumpkins

A close up of two pumpkins growing on the vine, resting on the soil in the summer garden. In the background is foliage and soil in soft focus.

Have you always wanted your own pumpkin patch, filled with winter squash that are perfect for cooking and decorating throughout the fall? It’s not as hard as you might think. From small cultivars to large homegrown varieties that are ready to be carved into jack-o’-lanterns, we’ve got you covered. Read more now.

11 of the Best Pumpkins to Grow for Pies, Puree, and Other Treats

A close up of an autumnal kitchen scene, with a pie, a rolling pin, unshelled walnuts, and three pumpkins on a rustic wooden surface on a dark background.

If you want to grow pumpkins to make pie, puree, and other delicious treats, which variety should you plant? While you can make pie out of many pumpkin cultivars, some have sweeter flesh than others. Learn about 11 of the best pie pumpkins to grow in your garden now on Gardener’s Path.

How to Choose the Best Halloween Pumpkins to Grow in Your Garden

An autumnal scene, with pumpkins carved and whole, surrounded by straw and candles set on a wooden surface.

If you’re getting ready to plant your Halloween pumpkins, you might need help choosing the perfect varieties for that spooky night. In this guide, you’ll learn the best varieties to grow whether you’re carving, painting, eating, or just setting out the bright veggies for decoration. Read on to discover your favorites.

9 Quick Tips to Make Jack-O’-Lanterns Last

A person wearing a blue plaid shirt and an apron carves a jack-o'-lantern, with more large orange pumpkins to the left, on a wood work surface with scattered fall leaves and green foliage in soft focus in the background.

Nothing says Halloween like jack-o’-lanterns, but what good are they if they rot before you can say trick-or-treat? Before you go to the farmers market, read 9 quick tips to make carved pumpkins last longer. From selecting the best to inhibiting moisture, we’ve got ideas you can use, right here on Gardener’s Path.