Winter may bring cold weather, but winter squash brings a taste treat: delicious and healthy, winter squashes can be somewhat challenging to grow. Because winter squashes grow as vines, significant space is needed and some support may be required.

In this article, we'll discuss
growing winter squash, types of winter squash, selecting winter squash, and the health benefits of winter squash.

Squash & Squash Recipes Image Gallery

The different tasty winter squash types include acorn, buttercup, butternut, and hubbard.
See more pictures of squash & squash recipes.

About Winter Squash

Winter squashes are weak-stemmed tender annual vines. They have large cucumber-like leaves, and separate male and female flowers grow on the same plant.

Most winter squashes grow as vines, but some newer varieties have been bred to have a more compact, bushy habit of growth. Vining types of winter squash can be caged or trained to climb up a fence or trellis to save

If you're growing a variety that will need support, set the support in place at the time of planting. If you do it later, you risk damaging the plant's roots. Winter squash varieties have hard skins when they're harvested and eaten.

Popular types of winter squashes include acorn, banana, buttercup, butternut, cushaw, hubbard, and Turk's turban. Spaghetti squash is technically a small pumpkin and is cared for in the same way as pumpkins.

Common Name: Winter Squash
Scientific Name: Cucurbita maxima
Hardiness: Very Tender (harvest before the first frost)

In the next section, we'll discuss how to grow winter squash.

Want more information about winter squash? Try: