Growing Squash in Australia: The Complete Guide
Squash is an easy vine & cucurbit to grow, needing full sun with deep, regular watering.
Squash is one of the easy additions to a home garden, and this article walks through everything behind our one-page printable guide in a bit more depth.
Mound planting
Grown much like pumpkin — sown into a rich mound, sprawling widely unless trellised. Winter squash varieties store far longer than summer squash.
Getting Squash Into the Ground
Method — sow 3–4 seeds per mound, thin to the strongest 2. Soil — rich, well-drained — dig in aged compost first. Timing — sow after frost risk passes and soil has warmed.
Ongoing Care
A few things matter most here:
- Water deeply at the base, avoiding wet leaves.
- Mulch heavily around sprawling vines.
- Hand-pollinate if bee activity is low.
- Support fruit on a trellis with a sling if growing vertically.
What Can Go Wrong
The key things to get right:
- Powdery mildew — humid weather; improve airflow.
- Pumpkin beetle — hand-pick or net young plants.
- Vine borer — check the stem base for sudden wilt.
- Blossom end rot — irregular watering.
Picking and Keeping Your Harvest
Signs — skin hardens and dulls, stem browns (for winter squash); or picked young and tender (for summer squash). Method — cut with secateurs, leaving some stem attached. Curing — winter squash: cure 1–2 weeks in a warm spot. Summer squash: none needed. Storage — winter squash: cool, dry, ventilated, months. Summer squash: fridge, about a week.
That's the full picture behind squash. The printable A4 version of this guide — with the quick-reference gauges and diagram in one page — is available on the main guide page below.