Crops › Squash & Pumpkin
How to grow Squash & Pumpkin
in the UK
Sow April to May, plant out June to July, harvest August to October. About 95 days from seed to plate.
Squash and pumpkins are just brilliant, aren't they? Proper easy to grow, and you get such a cracking yield for all your efforts. They really do take over a bit of the plot, spreading out nicely.
Sowing
You want to get your squash and pumpkins started indoors, usually around April or May. I always sow them on their edge, about 2cm deep, into individual small pots with some proper seed compost. Pop them somewhere warm, like on a sunny windowsill or in the greenhouse, and they'll germinate in a week or so. Don't rush them out, mind, they need a good start before facing the cold.
Growing on
Once your seedlings have a few true leaves, they'll be ready for a slightly bigger pot if they're getting crowded. You'll need to harden them off for a week or two, gradually getting them used to the outside, before planting them out. Don't even think about putting them on the plot until all risk of frost has well and truly passed – that's mid to late May up here in the North East, earlier down south. Give them plenty of space, like 90cm to 1.5 metres between plants, in some rich, well-prepared soil.
Looking after it
Squash and pumpkins are proper thirsty plants, especially when they're getting big and setting fruit, so keep them well watered. Once you start seeing those fruits forming, give them a regular feed every couple of weeks with a liquid tomato feed or something similar. A good mulch around the base helps keep the moisture in and the weeds down, too, which is always a bonus.
What goes wrong
To be honest, the main culprits on my plot are usually slugs when the plants are small, so keep an eye out and protect those young seedlings. Later in the season, you might see aphids appearing, but a good blast of water often sorts them. Powdery mildew can sometimes be a problem on the leaves, especially if it's a dry spell, but keeping them watered helps, and removing affected leaves can slow it down.
Harvest
You'll be harvesting your cracking squash and pumpkins from August right through to October, about 95 days after you sowed them. They're ready when the skin is hard and you can't easily dent it with your thumbnail. Cut them from the plant leaving a good bit of stem attached – this helps them store better. After harvest, cure them in the sun for a couple of weeks to harden the skin, then store them in a cool, dry place where they'll last a good three to six months.
I always try to plant a nasturtium nearby; it's a cracking companion plant, helps draw the aphids away a bit, and the flowers are nice in a salad too, you know what I mean.
Dates for your plot
Type the first half of your postcode and the plant-out advice shifts to your area's typical frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Butternut Squash This is the classic tan squash you see everywhere, with lovely sweet orange flesh. Proper versatile in the kitchen, a cracking one for beginners to get stuck into. | No club votes yet |
| Crown Prince Squash A big grey beauty that'll keep you going through winter. If you're after something to store for months, this is your lad. | No club votes yet |
| Uchiki Kuri Squash This Japanese red onion squash has a lovely nutty flavour, proper tasty roasted. A good one if you fancy trying something a bit different and special. | No club votes yet |
| Acorn Squash A dark green, ridged squash, often seen sliced and roasted in halves. It's a reliable maincrop that always does well on the plot. | No club votes yet |
| Spaghetti Squash Cook this one up and its flesh separates into proper spaghetti-like strands, dead interesting. Great for a healthy pasta alternative, a bit of a talking point at dinner. | No club votes yet |
| Delicata Squash A cracking early variety with cream and green stripes, and a proper sweet flavour. If you're keen to get your first squash harvest in, this is the one to go for. | No club votes yet |
| Sweet Dumpling Squash This small striped squash is just the right size for a single portion, proper cute. Ideal for containers if you're a bit short on space, or just fancy a smaller crop. | No club votes yet |
| Turk's Turban Squash A fantastic ornamental turban-shaped squash, looks cracking in a display. You can eat it too, mind, but it's usually grown for its unique look. | No club votes yet |
| Queensland Blue Squash This big Australian grey-blue squash is another cracking one for keeping through winter. You'll get some proper weighty yields off this lad, and they store a treat. | No club votes yet |
| Marina di Chioggia Squash A really interesting Italian warty dark green squash, looks a bit prehistoric, you know. It's got lovely sweet orange flesh that's proper good for roasting. | No club votes yet |
| Kabocha Squash This Japanese green squash is known for its really sweet flesh, proper delicious. A top choice if you're after a heritage variety with a cracking flavour. | No club votes yet |
| Hubbard Squash A big warty squash that's an absolutely excellent keeper, you'll be chuffed with how long it lasts. If you've got the space and want a proper storage crop, this is your boy. | No club votes yet |
| Atlantic Giant Pumpkin This is the one if you're aiming for those massive, record-breaking pumpkins for competitions. Get stuck in if you fancy growing something truly huge, it's a proper challenge. | No club votes yet |
| Jack O'Lantern Pumpkin The classic carving pumpkin for Halloween, grows a decent size for a spooky face. A reliable maincrop that's always a hit with the bairns. | No club votes yet |
| Small Sugar Pumpkin This little pumpkin is proper perfect for pies and cooking, with lovely sweet flesh. If you're into baking, this one's a cracking choice for your kitchen. | No club votes yet |
| Baby Boo Pumpkin A cracking miniature white pumpkin, dead cute for autumn displays. It's a nice one for containers or smaller spaces if you want something decorative. | No club votes yet |
| Jack Be Little Pumpkin This tiny orange pumpkin is another cracking decorative one, perfect for autumn tables. Like the Baby Boo, it's grand for containers if you're short on room. | No club votes yet |
| Cinderella Pumpkin A beautiful flat French heirloom pumpkin, with a proper deep orange colour. It looks fantastic and tastes great too, a lovely bit of heritage for your plot. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Squash & Pumpkin seeds
Partner retailers. If you buy through these links we may earn a small commission. It never costs you more.
Cook the harvest
A rustic free-form pastry tart filled with thin-sliced squash layered over a smear of crème fraîche and buried under melted Gruyère and fresh thyme. The pastry is rough and golden-edged, the filling rich and slightly sweet, and the whole thing looks far more impressive than the effort involved justifies. It is the sort of thing to make on a Saturday when you have an hour and want something that feels genuinely celebratory.
70 min · mediumA deeply comforting South Indian-inspired dhal where pumpkin is cooked down into the lentils until it becomes almost part of the sauce itself — adding a natural sweetness that balances the tamarind and spices perfectly. Finished with a sizzling tarka of curry leaves, mustard seeds and crispy fried shallots, this is weeknight food that tastes like you spent the whole afternoon on it. Serve with flatbreads or plain basmati rice and something green.
50 min · easyRoasted squash forms the backbone of this deeply savoury ramen broth — blitzed directly into the stock with white miso and ginger to create a rich, silky base that clings to the noodles like a dream. This is proper weeknight ramen: not a pale imitation of the restaurant version, but a genuinely satisfying bowlful that comes together in under an hour. The soft-boiled egg, with its jammy yolk, is not optional.
55 min · mediumA fast one-pan supper that makes the most of pre-prepped or shop-bought diced squash — squash pieces sizzle alongside chunks of chorizo and chickpeas in a smoky tomato sauce. The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes and is the sort of meal that tastes like it's been simmering all afternoon. Serve straight from the pan with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
30 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: beans, sweetcorn, nasturtium
Questions people ask
When do you sow Squash & Pumpkin in the UK?
Sow Squash & Pumpkin from April to May. Plant out June to July, after the last frost.
How long does Squash & Pumpkin take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 95 days, with the harvest August to October.
Which Squash & Pumpkin varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Butternut Squash, Crown Prince Squash, Uchiki Kuri Squash, Acorn Squash and more.
Track your Squash & Pumpkin from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.