When to plant Squash in Cambridge

Cucurbita spp.

Squash
Squash · Cucurbita spp.

Squash come in summer and winter types, offering versatile fruits from tender courgette-like harvests to hard-skinned varieties that store through winter. They're vigorous plants that love sun and rich soil, producing colourful, flavourful crops perfect for roasting, soups, or stuffing. With trailing or compact options, there's a squash for every garden size.

60 cm · Full Sun · High Water

Add to garden

Calibrated to Cambridge · average last frost around 7 May

Sow indoors April, harvest July to October. Typical frost risk October to May.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Sow indoorsNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
HarvestNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesNoNo

Growing guide

What to do through the growing season

Growing guide for

Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.

Ideal for patios or smaller plots using bush varieties like patty pan or compact butternuts, often grown in large pots or bags.

  1. 01

    Start Seeds Indoors

    9 Apr to 23 Apr

    Sow seeds on their side in pots of peat-free compost about deep. Keep them warm at around for good germination, then grow the seedlings on in bright light.

  2. 02

    Harden Off and Plant in Final Container

    21 May to 4 Jun

    Harden plants off outdoors for seven to ten days, then move them into large containers at least wide once frost risk has passed in Cambridge. Use rich peat-free compost and water them in thoroughly.

  3. 03

    Ongoing Care

    28 May to 25 Sept

    Water consistently to prevent drying out, especially during dry spells, and feed regularly with high-potash fertiliser as fruits develop.

  4. 04

    Harvest Fruits

    16 Jul to 19 Oct

    From 16th July, pick summer types while the fruits are young and tender. Let winter types mature until the skins are hard, then cut them with a short stem attached before 19th October. Do not eat any fruit that tastes unusually bitter.

Suggested varieties

Popular varieties of Squash to consider

Crown Prince

A classic grey-blue winter squash with deep orange, dense flesh. It crops reliably in cool, wet summers and keeps for months, making it a solid choice for UK plots.

Hunter F1 (Butternut)

An early butternut squash that sets fruit even in poor summers. Its compact plants work well in small gardens, and the small, sweet fruits ripen before autumn frosts.

Uchiki Kuri

This red-skinned, onion-shaped squash has a dry, sweet flesh with a chestnut-like flavour. It matures quickly, so it copes with the shorter UK growing season.

Sweet Dumpling

A small, cream and green striped squash with a mild, sweet flavour and edible skin. Ideal for single servings and reliable in containers or on a greenhouse boundary.

Vegetable Spaghetti

A novelty squash whose cooked flesh separates into spaghetti-like strands. It's a dependable cropper in UK weather and fun for children to grow.

Squash guides by town

See how Squash timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.