When to Pull Carrots in Ohio, and How to Keep Them
The tops answer the question before the calendar does. Once the foliage stops pushing new growth and the shoulders of the roots start showing at the soil…
When to Pick Peppers in Ohio, and Why the Fridge Ruins Them
In Ohio, peppers are ready to pick once the fruit stops growing, the skin turns glossy and taut, and it holds firm under light pressure, whether it’s…
Which Winter Squash to Grow: The Six Families
Six families cover almost every winter squash grown in home gardens: acorn, butternut, delicata, hubbard, kabocha and spaghetti squash.
Storing Winter Squash Through the Winter
Winter squash keeps best in a cool, dry, dark spot with steady airflow and no direct contact between fruits, generally somewhere between 50 and 55°F with…
Squash That Spoil in Storage
Most winter squash that rot in storage were already compromised before they ever left the garden.
Vine Borers in Winter Squash
A vine borer doesn’t announce itself with chewed leaves or ragged edges. It works from the inside, and by the time a gardener notices, the fix is often…
How Much Ground a Winter Squash Vine Takes
Bush-type winter squash need roughly 3 to 4 feet between plants, with rows spaced 4 to 5 feet apart.
Sowing Winter Squash Into Warm Soil
Cold soil is the single biggest reason winter squash seed fails outright. The seed needs soil consistently at 65°F or warmer at planting depth, with 70°F…
Growing Winter Squash Where Summer Is Short
In a short growing season, winter squash succeeds or fails long before the vines ever spread across the garden.
Winter Squash Needs a Long Season: How Long
Most winter squash types need close to the full length of a frost-free growing season to reach true maturity, not just to produce fruit.