When to plant Squash in Sheffield

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 Sheffield · average last frost around 23 Apr

Sow indoors April, plant out May, harvest September to November. Typical frost risk November to April.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Sow indoorsNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Plant outNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
HarvestNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesNo

Growing guide

What to do through the growing season

Growing guide for

Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.

Traditional method for larger winter squashes like butternut or crown prince, allowing vines to spread for maximum yield in open ground.

  1. 01

    Start Seeds Indoors

    2 Apr to 16 Apr

    Fill pots with peat-free seed compost and sow seeds on their side about deep. Keep them warm until they germinate, then grow on in a bright spot.

  2. 02

    Care for Seedlings

    9 Apr to 28 May Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Water your young squash plants regularly to keep the compost moist, and pot them on into larger containers if roots fill the pot.

  3. 03

    Harden Off Seedlings

    30 Apr to 7 May

    Gradually accustom your squash plants to outdoor conditions by placing them outside for increasing time each day over a week or two.

  4. 04

    Transplant Outdoors

    7 May to 21 May

    Once the risk of frost has passed in Sheffield, plant out into rich, well-prepared soil in full sun, spacing apart depending on variety.

  5. 05

    Ongoing Care

    7 May to 8 Nov Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Keep plants well watered, especially during dry spells, and mulch around them to retain moisture. Feed every couple of weeks with a high-potash feed once fruits start to swell.

  6. 06

    Prune for Ripening

    6 Jun to 19 Aug Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Allow vines to trail naturally, or pinch out growing tips once 4-6 fruits have set to direct energy into ripening them.

  7. 07

    Harvest Fruits

    24 Sept to 1 Nov

    Cut mature squashes with a sharp knife, leaving a short stem, when skins are hard and leaves start to die back before first frosts.

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.