Patty pan squash is a type of summer squash that looks like a UFO with scalloped edges. They are not difficult to grow and are nearly as prolific as zucchini squash. They take up about as much room as a zucchini squash plant and are more upright than vining.
How to Care for Patty Pan Squash
Plant patty pan squash after all threat of frost has passed, and the soil has warmed up.
Light
Like most vegetables, patty pan squash needs at least six hours of sun each day. The squash will not grow well with anything less.
Soil
Patty pan squash grows best in sandy, fertile soil. Work two to three inches of compost into the soil where you want to plant the squash to improve the fertility and drainage of the soil. The pH should be between 6.0-6.5 for best production.
Planting
Plant patty pan squash in hills. The hills should be two feet in diameter and four inches apart. Plant four or five seeds one inch deep and four inches apart on each hill. Seeds germinate in seven to ten days. When the seeds have their first true leaves, thin to the two strongest plants.
Water
The squash plants need daily watering until the seedlings are six inches tall. Water one inch a week all at once after that. In the heat of the summer, it may be necessary to water twice a week. If it rains, subtract the amount of rain from the amount you water that week.
Fertilizer
Before planting your squash, scatter two to three tablespoons full of a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 on each hill and work it into the first two to three inches of soil.
When the first blooms appear, scatter two tablespoons of fertilizer around each hill. Do not let the fertilizer touch the plant or it will burn it. Water the fertilizer in after you scatter it.
Weeds
Weeds steal nutrients, water, and sunlight from your garden. Remove weeds as soon as they appear. Squash have relatively shallow roots, so do not hoe any deeper than one inch or you will damage the squash roots.
Diseases
Patty pan squash are vulnerable to fungal diseases. Inspect your plants at least once a week. If you see spots on the plant, use a fungicide to treat the spots. Follow the directions on the label for usage instructions.
Pests
Squash are vulnerable to several pests. Here are the most common pests.
Squash Vine Borer
These borers have white larva that is one inch long and bore into the stem of the squash near the soil. The adults are clearwing moths that are black but have abdomens that are red with black spots down the middle. The moths mimic wasps. The larva causes the squash leaves to yellow and wilt. Because the larva is inside the stem of the squash, it is hard to kill them. Dust the bottom of the vines with contact poison such as pyrethrin. This will kill the adults as they lay eggs and also the larva as they bore into the vine. Use caution and use a pesticide formulated for use on vegetables.
Squash Bug
Squash bugs are true bugs growing 1/4 to 1/2 inches long. They are flat and range from gray to brown. Symptoms of squash bugs are wilting and the death of seedlings. They suck the sap out of the leaves and cause yellow spots that turn brown. Too many squash bugs can kill young plants. Picking them off the squash and dropping them in a jar of soapy water will get rid of the bugs. Most home pesticides are not effective against adult bugs. The nymphs are more vulnerable, but picking them off is the best way to get rid of them.
Cucumber Beetle
The adult beetle is about 1/4 inch long with a yellow body and black spots or stripes on it. The larva is 3/4 inch long and cream. The larva feeds on roots while the adults feed on the foliage. Adult cucumber beetles can strip a plant of its leaves if there are many beetles present. They are especially damaging to young seedlings, which don’t have much foliage to spare. Keep dead plant material picked up as this is where the adults overwinter. Mulch around the squash plants to discourage the cucumber beetle from laying eggs. Neem oil or pyrethrins will kill the beetles.
Harvest
Harvest the patty pan squash when it is two to three inches across. If it gets much bigger, it gets tough and fibrous. Harvest any squash that is large enough every other day during the summer to keep the squash producing. Squash stored in the refrigerator will last about a week.
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