Squash, Winter, Organic (Honeynut)

Botanical Interests Organic Honeynut Winter Squash

A renowned farm-to-table chef and a Cornell breeder worked for 6 years, crossing the flavorful, savory butternut with the sweet buttercup, to create this more manageable, 4–5 inch butternut. The thin, edible skin signals ripeness by turning from green to terracotta, either on or off the plant. Compact vines are great for containers or trellises. Plants are resistant to powdery mildew and squash vine borers. Stores up to 6 months.

Sowing Information:

• Light: Full Sun
• When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when the soil temperature is 70°–85°F.
• When to Start Inside: Not recommended except in very short growing seasons, 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date. Roots are sensitive to disturbance; sow in 4" biodegradable pots that can be planted directly into the ground. Transplant when the soil temperature is at least 60°F.
• Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
• Seed Depth: 1 inch
• Seed Spacing: 2–3 seeds per mound
• Row Spacing: 4–6 feet
• Thinning: When seedlings grow 3 inch leaves, thin to 1–2 per mound.

Growing Notes:

• Harvesting: Harvest when the squash's rind is hard enough that you can't dent it with your fingernail and before the first frost. Cut stem, (don't break it off) leaving 2 inches of stem attached, which keeps the squash whole, leaving no opening for infection. Though fruits are hard and may seem indestructible, treat them gently; bruising can spoil squash.
• Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
• Plant Dimensions: 24–36 inch vine
• Variety Information: 4–5 inch fruits start out green with orange mottling, ripening to a pale terracotta. As a combination of butternut and buttercup types, 'Honeynut' is very sweet with very smooth-textured flesh.
• Type: Butternut