Buttercup Squash


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​Buttercup squash matures in 90 to 100 days after planting. You can tell the fruit is ready to harvest when you cannot pierce the rind easily with your fingernail. Usually, the vines begin to die back around the same time. Avoid harvesting squash early, because they won't store as well as mature squash. You will need pruning shears to cut the squash from the vines. Once picked, clean off any dirt and let the squash cure in a location with 70 to 80 degree temperature for two weeks, then store them in a cool, dry place until you are ready to eat them.

7/20/2020 I planted "Buttercup Squash" 5 days ago to see what happens. Today, I saw all of the seeds popped out of my garden! What a surprise! Today, outdoor temp is 109 F in the desert. I hope these little guys will survive in the heat. Sometimes I have a bad luck transplanting plants from nursery, or germinating indoor myself and transplanting outdoor. So, this time I want to test my theory. I feel like in this extreme heat condition, I know I have no chance of transplanting small plants into the wild, so I started from the seeds and direct sow to where they suppose to grow. If they are strong enough to germinate, should be strong enough to survive... right? Well, that's my idea! Let's see if they are strong enough for me!

​My concern is first frost. Last year, it came early without notice! I hope I can crop at least 1 out of this!! Today is 7/20/2020. 90 days from today will be 10/18/2020. I think I have a chance!!

7/31/2020. In 11 days! Look how much it grew!!! I can't believe it! Looks great!! 

8/8/2020 I did not expect all seeds to germinate, so I feel like I planted little too tight, but I will just let them grow. I am not removing anything this time!

8/21/2020 Look how big it got! there are a lot of pumpkin forming, and this is the biggest one I found! It's about a size of infant's head!

8/31/2020.  There are hundreds of bees working this whole area from dawn to dusk! In results of that, look! There are pumpkins forming everywhere!!

9/17/2020 I harvested the first Buttercup Squash! Super fast! Less than 2 months! But I am going to leave them alone for a while. I want them to get really ripe!