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Trouble-free method of growing squash in raised bed garden in USA

Squash can grow in ordinary containers or garden land but to grow it in raised beds is a very different thing. Both varieties of squash; summer squash and winter squash are different to grow with each other and need specific conditions to develop. Mostly, we grow winter varieties of squash in raised beds.

Here, you will know the method of growing squash in raised beds with the right season and the right duration of harvesting. 

How to grow squash in raised beds?

Growing squash in raised beds has many advantages less irrigation required, less weeding, increased harvesting duration, etc. But before you move on to the method of growing squash in raised beds, I will suggest you know at least the basics of raised beds and squash if you are a beginner. 

Growing squash in raised bed garden in USA

Season of growing and harvesting squash

For the winter squash, you can start sowing seeds in nursery beds from late summer to early fall though, in specific conditions, they can grow a month before and late to this sowing period. 

From 100 to 120 days of sowing seeds, squash becomes ready for the first harvesting. You can have multiple harvesting and take it longer in the raised bed gardens. 

Why grow squash in raised beds

Particularly, you should grow winter varieties of squash in raised beds because of their hard shell and slightly rough nature of growing than summer squash varieties. 

Raised beds provide enough time for these winter squash to grow and develop so that they can match their ideal growing conditions. 

Raised beds are easy to make, provide almost every nutrient that squash needs, and with fewer weeds. Popular winter squash varieties are Acorn, Butternut, Carnival-Dumpling, Delicata, etc.

Growing conditions of squash in containers

Soil type 

Squash can grow in rich nutrients in garden soil easily in the suitable season of growing. If the soil gets compacted easily, is less rich, not well-drained, and too rough, then squash can't grow in it.

Ordinary garden soil with the compost mixture is good for squash if the pH is not acidic not alkaline much. 

Sunlight and shade

Squash needs regular sunlight of 5 to 7 hours a day. It can't tolerate shade for a long time or overcast conditions for too long. Squash can't even handle frost and night dew for a long time. 

Irrigation 

Regular irrigation within a week is good enough for squash plants. They don't need daily water to grow even in the summer season. But when the soil gets dry, you should irrigate regularly in squash containers or raised beds. 

Requirements to grow 

Tools required

  • Nursery seed sowing cups
  • Raised bed setup 
  • Cultivation tools 
  • Spraying bottles 

Materials required to make a raised bed 

  • Garden soil 
  • Dry leaves
  • Biomass
  • Wheat straws
  • Compost 
  • Sand 

Method of growing squash in raised beds

Step 1- Prepare raised bed containers

First, either learn to make raised beds garden first or ask someone for help. You should have average size raised beds for squash plant expansion but not with too much depth. 

Step 2- Sow seeds in nursery cups

Prepare garden soil and compost mixture with some moisture for squash seed germination. Fill the 2:1 soil and compost mixture in nursery cups. Use your fingers to place squash seeds in each cup. You should sow two to three squash seeds in each cup to increase the germination rate. Spray some water over it and let the squash seeds germinate in it. 

Step 3- Seed germination

After 10 to 13 days, squash seeds will germinate in the nursery cups properly. But these germinated seeds are not ready for transplantation in bigger raised beds gardens. For that, you need to let them grow to at least become a young plant of 5 to 6 inches at least in the same nursery cups. 

Step 4- Young plant transplantation

When the plants become 4 to 5 inches big, you can start their transplantation in the raised beds. For that, use a small cultivator tool to make digs in the raised beds according to their roots. 

Separate the young squash plants gently from the nursery cups and plant them in the digs you've made in the raised beds. cover their roots properly and spray some water. 

Step 5- Further growth and support

If you have vines or simple plant variety, then you will need to stand support for the plants. For that, you can use 30 inches wooden stands to directly stand in the raised beds. 

Apart from that, you don't need irrigation every day for squash plants. Raised beds hold enough moisture for a longer time squash plants. 

Step 7- Flowering to squash formation

From the 60th to the 65th day of sowing, your squash plants will start to have flowered on the plants. These flowers bloom for some time and then start to get packed and fall in the end to make squash buds. 

From here, your tiny squash will start growing further on the plants. From here, they grow fast and become ready to harvest in the next 25 to 30 days easily. 

Step 8- Harvesting squash from raised beds

Finally, after 95 to 100 days, you can start harvesting your first squash from the raised bed gardens. To harvest the squash, use a harvesting knife or scissors to cut them from the bud. 

Because you are growing squash in raised bed gardens, you can have longer harvesting of squash from it than usual. 

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