When to Plant Winter Squash
Sow winter squash outside 1 to 4 weeks after your last frost.
Winter squash at a glance
- Sow outside
- 1 to 4 weeks after your last frost
- Time to harvest
- 80 to 110 days from sowing
- Harvest lasts
- about 12 weeks
- Spacing
- 1 plant per 9 square feet
- Frost
- Tender: frost kills it
Growing winter squash
Winter squash needs a long, warm season and room to roam, so sow it in rich soil where the vines can spread over a path or a fence. Water deeply about once a week in dry spells. Unlike zucchini, it is picked once, at the end of the season.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Jun 4–25 | Aug 23 – Sep 14Pick a fast variety. |
| Zone 3b | May 24 – Jun 14 | Aug 12 – Sep 25 |
| Zone 4a | May 19 – Jun 9 | Aug 7 – Sep 28 |
| Zone 4b | May 15 – Jun 5 | Aug 3 – Oct 1 |
| Zone 5a | May 10–31 | Jul 29 – Oct 5 |
| Zone 5b | May 8–29 | Jul 27 – Oct 10 |
| Zone 6a | May 6–27 | Jul 25 – Oct 16 |
| Zone 6b | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 19 – Oct 11 |
| Zone 7a | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 12 – Oct 4 |
| Zone 7b | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jul 1 – Sep 23 |
| Zone 8a | Apr 5–26 | Jun 24 – Sep 16 |
| Zone 8b | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Jun 12 – Sep 4 |
| Zone 9a | Mar 9–30 | May 28 – Aug 20 |
| Zone 9b | Feb 15 – Mar 8Nights are still cool before mid-February, so this starts a little later. | May 6 – Jul 29 |
| Zone 10a | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | May 6 – Jul 29 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so winter squash can go in from late winter, and again in late summer for a fall crop. | |
Good neighbors
Questions about winter squash
Which winter squash should I grow?
Butternut is reliable and stores well; acorn and delicata ripen sooner and suit shorter summers; bush varieties save space in small gardens.
How long does winter squash keep?
Cured and stored somewhere cool and dry, many kinds keep for months. Butternut usually lasts longest; acorn squash is best used within a few months.
