key growing information

Growing Patty Pan & Round Summer Squash From Seed

How to grow specialty summer squash: soil, row covers, succession planting, spacing, diseases, pests, harvesting fruit and blossoms, storage and seeding rates.

By Hensley’s Seed Co. September 3, 2026

Specialty Summer Squash - Key Growing Information

Harvesting diminutive patty pan fruits; plants are bushier than other summer squashes, but vines still require plenty of room.

SCIENTIFIC NAME:

Cucurbita pepo

CULTURE:

Summer squash does best in fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8–6.8. Plastic mulch and fabric row covers (AG-19 weight) help young plants get established and keep insects off seedlings; take the covers off when flowering starts. Poorly formed fruit can be a sign of poor pollination. For the best-quality fruit, you may need to replant every 2–3 weeks.

PLANT SPACING:

Set plants 18–24" apart in rows 6' apart; wider spacing can make picking easier.

DISEASES:

Powdery mildew, downy mildew, bacterial wilt and phytophthora are the usual cucurbit diseases. Good drainage, airflow, insect control and crop rotation prevent most problems; if needed, ask your local Cooperative Extension office about control options.

INSECT PESTS:

Cucumber beetles, squash bugs and vine borers all commonly attack cucurbits. Protect young plants with floating row cover. Crush squash bug eggs found under the leaves. For vine borers, cut them out of the vine and mound soil over the wound. Keep field edges mowed, clear plant debris in fall, and plow in spring to bury pupae. Insecticides , pyrethrin sprays in particular, may give some control.

HARVEST FRUIT:

With some varieties, the first fruits are often misshapen, shriveled or blackened, a sign of poor pollination that usually clears up as more male flowers open. Once plants start bearing, pick 2–3 times a week, cutting or gently twisting off fruit at the size you want; for pattypan and round types, that's 2–3" across. Handle gently so the skins don't scratch.

HARVEST BLOSSOMS:

Pick male flowers (thin stems) or female flowers (thick stems with a tiny fruit at the base) in mid to late morning when fully open, clipping 1–2" below the flower. If you also want fruit from the same plants, take only male flowers and leave some to pollinate the females.

STORAGE:

Keeps up to 2 weeks at 40–50°F (4–10°C) and 95% relative humidity, but is best used as soon as possible.

DAYS TO MATURITY:

Counted from direct sowing; for transplants, take off roughly 14 days.

AVG. DIRECT SEEDING RATE:

At 3 seeds per foot in 6' rows: 250 seeds sow about 83', 500 about 166', and 1,000 about 333'.

SEED SPECS:

SEEDS/LB.: specialty types average about 4,500.

PACKET:

25 seeds per packet unless noted, enough for about 8'.