How To Identify The Squash In My Garden

Types of Summer Squash| Types of Winter Squash

Squash is the plant that keeps on giving! It's incredibly easy to grow and it's a reliable producer even if you are a new gardener. If you're growing squash yourself, just a few plants will yield enough for your family with tons leftover for sharing. But what kinds should you grow or pick up at the farmer's market? There are dozens of varieties, which fall into two main groups: Summer squash and winter squash. "Summer squash is harvested in the warm weather months and doesn't store for long," says Josh Kirschenbaum, vegetable account manager at PanAmerican Seed. "Winter squash is harvested in the fall and has a hard rind, which allows it to keep well for months."

Here are a few of our favorite squash varieties with growing tips and recipe ideas:

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Summer squash often grow on a bushier plant than the more vine-like plants of pumpkin and winter squash, meaning they'll take up less room in your garden. "Less" is relative as most still need three to four feet of space in every direction to grow. Pick summer squash when it's small and tender—the bigger fruits tend to become tough and woody. And keep picking to keep the harvest going!

Zucchini Squash

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This familiar squash has been grown for generations because it's easy to grow with high-yields. Grill or saute and toss over pasta, or bake it into quick breads and cakes. If you grow too many to use in your zucchini recipes, use your food processor to grate it and freeze; then pull it out to thaw, squeeze it dry, and make a frittata or quick bread later.

Types of Zucchini: Bossa Nova, Easy Pick Green, Cocozelle, Gold Rush

Round Zucchini

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These cute round zucchini are good for the same types of dishes, but they're fun to roast or grill whole when they're small. Or harvest them larger and stuff with rice, meat, and veggies.

Types of Round Zucchini: Eight Ball, Papaya Pear

Crookneck Squash

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With rounded bottoms and curved necks, these squash are best picked when no more than 4 to 6 inches long so they're tender. If you wait too long, they get unpleasantly seedy.

Types of Crookneck Squash: Yellow Crookneck, Gold Star

Patty Pan Squash

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These flying saucer-shaped squash can be grilled whole when 2 to 3 inches wide. For larger fruits, dice and sauté as a side dish or toss over pasta.

Types of Patty Pan Squash: Benning's Green Tint, Sunburst

Cousa Squash

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These oval-shaped Middle Eastern types may just be the best-tasting of the summer squash, but they are sometimes hard to find unless you grow them yourself. Steam, sauté, or stuff 'em.

Types of Cousa Squash: Lebanese White Bush Marrow, Magda

Tatume Squash

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These heat-tolerant heirlooms are fast growers. The vine that can reach 10 feet long, so this is one for big gardens! Firm, sweet white flesh has more flavor than many other kinds of summer squash. Pick when fruits are the softball-sized.

Tromboncino Squash

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How cool are these? The slender, curvy fruits of this Italian heirloom are firm and less seedy than many types. Make sure you have a large garden because their vines reach 15-feet long!. Harvest fruits are no more than a foot long.

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Winter squash need tons of room to stretch because their vines sprawl 10 to 15 feet in every direction; train the plants up a trellis or fence to conserve space. Harvest winter squash when the rind can't be pierced with your thumbnail, about the time when the vines and leaves wither or after the first light frost.

Acorn Squash

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Shaped like its namesake, these popular winter squash are reliable performers. They're best baked or stuffed because they're not as sweet as other types.

Types of Acorn Squash: Honey Bear, Jester

Buttercup Squash

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These turban-shaped squash store well into late winter and are buttery-sweet and satiny when baked and mashed. Bake, puree, and add olive oil and romano cheese for a side or delectable sauce for pasta.

Types of Buttercup Squash: Burgess, Bonbon

Butternut Squash

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Butternuts are cylindrical with a bulb-shaped end and a classic, tan rind. You'll need a few weeks of storage for the flavor to develop, but they last for months and months. They are prolific producers! Bake, sauté, or add to stews. Some newer types produce small fruit that's ideal for one or two servings.

Types of Butternut Squash: Honeybaby, Waltham

Delicata Squash

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This heirloom variety has cream and green-striped oblong fruits about three inches wide and six inches long. They're tender and taste a little like sweet potatoes. Unlike many winter squash, the rind is edible but they don't store long like other winter squash.

Types of Delicata Squash: Bush Delicata

Dumpling Squash

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The cute little squat shapes of this squash are both pretty and edible. They're prolific producers, and they can be baked, grilled, steamed, or stuffed.

Types of Dumpling Squash: Sweet Dumpling, Carnival

Hubbard Squash

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These squash, popular in New England, have a tough, bumpy rind and range in color from bright orange to a gorgeous aqua-blue color. Some varieties weigh up to 15 pounds each! Roast the sweet flesh as a side, or chunk it for stews.

Types of Hubbard Squash: Red Kuri, Blue Ballet

Kabocha Squash

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These Japanese squash are similar in appearance to a buttercup, with a flavor that's reminiscent of sweet potatoes. Bake, steam, or purée in soups.

Types of Kabocha Squash: Sunshine, Hokkori

Pumpkin Squash

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Pumpkins actually are a type of winter squash. While some varieties are not particularly tasty, and are grown primarily for carving or display, others are quite sweet! Bake, steam, put in stews, and roast the seeds, or of course make a pumpkin pie.

Types of Pumpkin Squash: Pepitas, Super Moon, Hijinks, Blue Prince

Spaghetti Squash

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These oblong-shaped squash have stringy flesh you can scrape out after cooking to create spaghetti-like strands. Use as a healthy low-carb pasta substitute.

Types of Spaghetti Squash: Sugaretti, Tivoli

Arricca SanSone Arricca SanSone writes for CountryLiving.com, WomansDay.com, Family Circle, MarthaStewart.com, Cooking Light, Parents.com, and many others.

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