watering
Keep squash well watered and avoid the plant becoming dry – avoid getting leaves wet while watering. Keep an eye on squash growing in containers as these will dry out faster than those in the ground. To improve moisture retention in the soil, mulch the surface well.
fertilising
Feed every fortnight with a high potash liquid fertiliser, such as Organic Tomato Fertiliser with Seaweed once the plants are flowering.
training
Winter squash and pumpkins need space to clamber and scramble, as well as strong supports. The most vigorous climbers will even welcome a trellis or arch.
pruning
The absolute key to a good harvest is to pinch out the growing tips of all the plant shoots in mid-August and to keep doing so. This stops plants putting on triffid-like, leafy growth and forces them to focus energy on the developing fruits.
Without pinching out, some just drop their flowers or immature fruit in favour of shooting out like a giant squid. Keep them contained and you'll have many more fruits to harvest.
harvesting
This depends very much on the variety. Summer squash can be harvested regularly from July onwards, like courgettes, while winter squash and pumpkins usually develop only a few, large fruit which should be left on the plant to mature until the end of summer.
Make sure to pick winter squash and pumpkins before the frosts arrive. And when harvesting, cut them with 10cm (4in) of stalk attached to the fruit.
Most varieties need to be cured for at least a week before you store them. Leave them on a sunny windowsill before storing somewhere dry and frost free. Then they can last for several weeks or even months.
