8 Great Types of Squash for Beginners to Grow

Pumpkins (Curbito pepo var. pepo)

Some vegetables are simply fun to grow. If you’ve never had a pumpkin patch, treat yourself at least once. Pumpkins start small and green on enormous vines then and slowly tease you by fattening up and transforming into a bright Halloween orange.

Some varieties make better carving pumpkins and others have better flavor or texture for baking and cooking. But it’s hard to go wrong. There are even ghostly white varieties that make a double impact. Although pumpkins look like winter squash (and are categorized as such), they don’t store as well as truly hard-shell winter squash. Be prepared to use them up within a couple of months. There are certainly plenty of cooking options.

• USDA Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in zones 3–9
• Color Varieties: Fruit is usually orange, but there are varieties with white, yellow, or blue-green fruit.
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining

Zucchini (Cubito pepo var. cylindrica)

If you grow no other edible squash, you owe it to yourself to grow one or two vines of zucchini (Curbito pepo var. cylindrica). The vines fill in quickly and the flowers are not far behind. Like other squash, zucchini requires cross-pollination between male and female flowers. While each plant has both sexes, your chances for pollination increase if you plant two vines close to each other.

Zucchini plants are space hogs, so if you have a small garden, consider growing them on trellises. But they are so productive that most people find that two plants are enough to keep a large family in all the squash they need. Harvest zucchini while they’re young and tender, and the plants will keep setting more fruits.

• USDA Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in zones 2–11
• Color Varieties: Fruit is normally light or dark green, speckled or striped; some hybrids are golden.
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining

Yellow Squash (Cucurbita pepo var. recticollis)

If you see little difference between zucchini and yellow squash (sometimes known as straight-neck squash) other than the color, you're not alone. Zucchini and yellow squash are merely different variations of the same summer squash. While the taste is very similar, a mixture of green zucchini and yellow squash in recipes can make a more visually appealing dish. Yellow squash sometimes has a slightly more narrow neck than green zucchini, but that's just about the only difference—though some people swear the fruit has a slightly sweeter taste than green zucchini. Both vegetables are grown in the same way.

• USDA Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in zones 2–11.
• Color Varieties: Fruit is pale yellow to golden yellow, sometimes with green also present.
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining

Pattypan (Scallop) Squash (Cucurbita pepo var. clypeata)

When you mention summer squash, most people think of zucchini or maybe yellow squash. While these are delicious, they are not your only options. Pattypan squash, sometimes called flying saucer squash for obvious reasons, is every bit as easy to grow as zucchini and, depending on the variety, just as prolific. This is a small summer squash, about the size of green pepper.

It can be a little difficult to figure out how to cut a pattypan squash but don’t let that stop you. The skin is tender and needs no peeling. The best way to eat them is to pick them while they are only a couple of inches in size, then cook and serve them whole. If the blossom is still attached, all the better.

• USDA Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in zones 2–11.
• Color Varieties: Fruit is bright yellow or light green
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining

Acorn Squash (Cucurbita pepo var. turbinata)

Acorn squash (Cucurbita pepo var. turbinata) is an acorn-shaped winter squash four to seven inches across and one to two pounds in weight. It has a thick green rind with pronounced longitudinal ridges and sweet yellow-orange flesh. For years, it has been the most popular winter squash to grow, thanks to its easy growing habits and versatility in the kitchen.

It takes about 85 days for acorn squash to mature from seed, and picked fruit needs to ripen for seven to 10 days before it is cured and ready to eat. It is most often served baked.

• USDA Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in zones 4–11
• Color Varieties: Fruit is dark green with a stubby, rounded shape; flesh is yellow-orange.
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining

Butternut Squash (Cucurbita moschata)

Butternut is a pear-shaped winter squash with a light brown shell, weighing one to two pounds. It has a very sweet yellow flesh that is most often used in creamy soups and fillings. It is gradually becoming even more popular than acorn squash as a favorite for home gardeners.

It takes at least 110 days for butternut squash to mature to the harvesting stage, so gardeners with a shorter growing season should start seeds indoors or buy nursery seedlings. The picked fruits need to cure for five to seven days before they are ready to eat. The fruits will keep for several months when stored in a cool, dark place (but not the refrigerator).

• USDA Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in zones 3–10
• Color Varieties: Fruit is pinkish-brown or beige
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining

Hubbard Squash (Cucurbita maxima)

Hubbard squash is a large, round or elongated winter squash with a tough, thick shell. It can weigh up to 50 pounds and is used in cooking much the same way as the flesh of a pumpkin, as a filling for pies and puree in other dishes.

Hubbard squash takes at least 100 days from seed germination to harvest. The fruits are ready to pick when the vine starts to turn dry. Cut the stem about two inches from where it attaches to the fruit. Allow the picked fruit to cure for 10 days to two weeks before eating. Fruit can be stored in a cool dark place for up to six months. Make sure to leave a two-inch section of stem attached to the fruit when storing.

• USDA Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in zones 3–10
• Color Varieties: Fruit has a grayish-green or blue-green skin; flesh is orange
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining

Gourds (Cucurbita pepo; Lagenaria siceraria)

The plants we know as gourds are just forms of squash that aren't very tasty but do have unusual, attractive shapes, sizes, or textures. They are used ornamentally, rather than in cooking. Many of the gourds with warty skins and unusual colors are varieties of the Cucurbita pepo species, but there is also another species in a related genus, Lagenaria siceraria, which include smooth-skinned varieties that go by the common name "bottle gourd." These are thin-skinned gourds that are often used as dippers or for containers like birdhouses.

Seed manufacturers usually sell seeds in assorted mixes that combine different types of gourds. For example, you can "big gourd," "small gourd" or "daisy gourd" mixes that include lots of shapes, sizes, and colors. Bottle gourds are more likely to be sold as individual varieties.

There is a gourd variety for every taste and every size of garden. You can experiment by growing different types each year and then spend the winter enjoying what you've grown.

• USDA Growing Zones: Grown as annuals in zones 2–11
• Color Varieties: Various shades of yellow, orange, green, and multi-colors
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Needs: Rich, well-draining