How to Grow Spaghetti Squash

Days to germination: 10 to 14 days
Days to harvest: 90 to 100 days
Light requirements: Full sun
Water requirements: Regular watering
Soil: Loose, fertile and well-draining soil
Container: Possible but not ideal

Introduction

The name of the spaghetti squash comes from its unique flesh. When cooked, the fibers give the squash a very distinctive strands that look a lot like orange spaghetti. The added texture makes spaghetti squash a favorite with children who turn their noses up at the softness of other types of squash.

Squashes of all kinds are very healthy, and often eaten more as a starch than a vegetable in a meal. You can’t eat spaghetti squash raw, and its best baked. The inside flesh is scraped out with a fork, to help bring out the “spaghetti” nature of the squash.

They are extremely high in vitamin A, and also good sources of potassium, fiber and vitamin C.

Starting from Seed

Spaghetti squash need a long growing season and warm temperatures, and that includes warmth at planting time. So any seeds would have to go out after your frost date as passed. But starting your seedlings indoors is a common way for gardeners to start their squash plants.

Plant your seeds inside about a month before your local last frost date. Squash seedlings will grow fairly large in a month, so small 6-pack style seed trays won’t likely suffice. If you start them that way, you’ll have to replant them in larger containers before your outside plant date. Three or four seeds can go in each 3″ pot, about 1″ deep under the soil.

They’ll need to be kept somewhere warm as well as sunny in order to properly germinate and sprout.

Transplanting

Plan to put your seedlings into the garden about 2 weeks after the date of your last spring frost. Your soil should be dug up thoroughly to get it loose for the big seedlings, and mix in some aged manure or compost while you are at it. Squash likes nutrients in its soil. Your squash spot needs full sun, and you should allow for 3 feet between each hill (you will just be planting one pot in each location, with 3 or four seedlings in it).

If you are not starting with indoor-grown seedlings, you will still have to wait for 2 weeks past the frost date. If you’ve had cool weather, you can lay black plastic down over the garden before planting to help warm up the soil. The seeds won’t sprout in the cold. Plant them in hills, just like you did with the transplants, about 3 per hill.

Many squashes can be grown vertically to save space, but this isn’t the best idea with a spaghetti squash. The fruits are just too big and it is awkward to try and support them on the vine when hanging in mid-air. It can be done, as long as you are willing to put in a bit of extra effort with your trellis and support structures.

Growing Instructions

Keep your plants watered, and weed-free while the leaves are developing. Once the wide leaves are fully grown, they will start to shade their surrounding soil and will keep the weeds out without your help.

After the peak of the summer has passed, you should remove any new blossoms that your squash vines produce. There won’t be enough time left for them to mature and the plant’s resources would be better used growing the already-developing squash on the vine.

Because the squash will be growing for the full length of the season, they can be prone to getting rot underneath where they lay on the soil. You can help protect your squash with tiles or coffee can lids under each fruit.

Containers

You can grow spaghetti squash in a large container, at least 5 gallons for each plant. Give them a light feeding part of the way through the growing season to make up for the lack of soil nutrients in the pot.

Try to plant a variety that grows as a bush to help save on space, such as Orangetti or Tivoli. If you do grow a vining squash, be prepared to have the vines spill out of the container for several feet.

Pests and Diseases

Once established and growing well, a squash vine is quite large and can withstand a fair bit of insect damage without ill effects.

The most common insect attacker will be squash bugs, followed closely by the popular cucumber beetle. They are both big enough to be picked off by hand as soon as you see one, but make sure to check inside the blossoms as well as under the large leaves.

And those large leaves may be a benefit when it comes to weed control, but they are susceptible to getting mildew if weather is damp. It looks like a dusting of white powder on the leaves and it can effect your plant’s development and growth if it gets too heavy. Standard fungicide sprays can help to clear it up, and you can keep it from starting by watering your plants right at the soil instead of pouring water over all the leaves.

Harvest and Storage

As mentioned, spaghetti squash are very large, with each individual squash growing to be around 4 pounds in size. Each plant will produce between 4 to 6 of them. They can’t be harvested like zucchini or summer squash, you can’t pick them when they are small. They don’t develop that way. Spaghetti squash (all winter squash actually) need to fully mature before harvesting.

A tried and true method to tell if your squash is ready is to push your fingernail into the outside skin. The skin should be tough enough to withstand your nail. If it punctures, your squash need more time. Depending on your climate, another sign is that you should harvest your squash when the vines start to wither.

A whole squash can be stored in the fridge for about 2 weeks before it starts to lose its texture. You can store your squash at room temperature, as long as you have somewhere very dry. Moisture will quickly ruin a spaghetti squash, but barring dampness, it should keep for a few months.

119 Responses to “How to Grow Spaghetti Squash”

Sandie Says:
May 4th, 2016 at 7:46 am
Hi… I live in East Tennessee and for the first time planted spaghetti squash, as a matter of fact it is the first time I have planted anything. The ground here is like red clay so I didn’t think they would grow but I love it so much that I thought I would give it a try….. I planted them in mid April after the frost and low and behold I have plants everywhere. I think that I planted somewhere around 20 seeds…. I live in the mountains where I have ample space for the squash so decided to plant them on my mountain side where it’s cleared… Well, I have to say they are growing and growing fast, I love it! I will keep my eye on them to watch for flowers, I have plenty of bees and butterflies so I don’t think I will have to help pollinate them but we shall see…. Any advice anyone can give me would be great, for I have no experience at all in growing anything.. 🙂
Happy in Tennessee…….
Christa J Says:
May 29th, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Last year we had a gazillion inches of rain in TX. My “compost pile” grew potatoes, pumpkins, onions and tomatoes. This year it looks like I am going to have spaghetti squash. The seeds probably germinated in early April; hard to tell. Thanks for the tips on knowing when the squash are ripe!
claudia kirkpatrick Says:
August 13th, 2016 at 10:30 am
I have the same variety of squash from last years plants. Dark green, same shape but getting darker. Is it a mutation? I cannot identify it from any of the winter squash photos..
Joseph Russell Says:
August 28th, 2016 at 11:36 am
My squash is doing well,but some turned green.Is this a cross pollination or over ripe?
Leila Julien Says:
January 17th, 2017 at 6:59 pm
Can you dry seeds from the spegetthi squash fresh and how long will it take to be ready to plant
Administrator Says:
January 19th, 2017 at 3:43 pm
As soon as their dry, not long at all.
Beverly Shepherd Says:
February 15th, 2017 at 5:18 pm
My spaghetti squash plant seemed to be developing quite nicely, and put out a squash gourd pretty quickly, which was getting bigger until about a week or 2 ago. Everything seems to be at a standstill. I did notice the dusty white mildew, and sprayed it. This seems to have been effective, but nothing is getting bigger. Any ideas?
Ann B Says:
April 26th, 2017 at 4:54 pm
Threw seeds outside in a four foot wooden container. They’re growing. I have big leaves and yellow blooms right now. What happens now? I live in Poplarville Mississippi
Cathy Says:
July 4th, 2017 at 6:31 pm
This is my first time growing spaghetti squash and it’s doing well–too well as it’s taking over the entire garden. Any tips on stopping it from spreading everywhere?
Robert Flowers Says:
July 22nd, 2017 at 12:58 pm
We need help to identify a mysterious plant growing in our church garden. It looked like a melon at first than we cut it open and it looked like and tasted like a zucchini only sweeter. Do you have an e-mail address where we can send pictures.

Looking forward to hearing from you
Sincerely

Robert W. Flowers
robin kopack Says:
August 18th, 2017 at 9:39 am
I planted my seeds from spagetti squash and they
bloomed big leaves and looks like all flowers are male no fruit is noted and its the end of august!
do you think i will get any squash or too late i am bummed but will try next year if i dont get any. not sure what to pollunate all flowers look male????
Raney Brown Says:
October 27th, 2017 at 11:25 pm
I’m in Italy trying to grow spaghetti squash on my balcony, with trellises or without. This year I must have started the seeds too late. My question is: I have a southern exposure balcony with temps. around 40 C. from April through September, so I tried to keep my balcony somewhat covered but I had no squash till I removed the canopy. I have one now and it is teeny tiny and will not grow before the plant dies! Can spaghetti squash really withstand the full sun on my balcony?? I am determined to try again next year, probably starting in February.
Administrator Says:
December 13th, 2017 at 8:44 pm
IT likely isn’t the balcony it is likely the fact that it is in a pot. Squash are large aggressive plants, each plant needs a cubic yard of soil. It won’t get big as it needs to in a container.
jenny ockerman galle Says:
January 30th, 2018 at 6:19 am
I started my seeds inside … they seem to be getting tall with no sign of additional leaves ? do they fall over and start new leaves .. 6 or 7 inches tall already day 7 in my window
jenny ockerman galle Says:
January 30th, 2018 at 6:28 am
I can send photo .. not sure how