Squashes are not that difficult to grow especially Courgettes/ Zucchini of different varieties, but one thing to remember is that they do require ample space but also some support of some sort. Summer Squashes give attractive yellow Flowers in one's Garden which are also edible.

Butternut Squash Flower in our Garden.

Squashes Flowers are as I say edible and can be stuffed with a delicate filling of your choice. However if you pick all the Flowers upon a Squash Plant you will not have any Squashes...Therefore you could potentially have a dilemma on your hands which would be the question: What do I prefer eating most, the Squash or the Flower?

Butternut Squash, Orange and Chorizo Soup ingredients.

However there is a tip, a very simple one to be honest with you: it consists only to keep the seeds of any Squashes you buy or grow. I love it when I find an interesting Squash out there on the Market shelves. Summer and Autumn are the perfect season to go head hunting for a Squash that takes your fancy which you can eat but also keep the Seeds. There you already have a plan on which Squash to grow for the following year...

Monster Pumpkin with a Munchkin  Pumpkin.

The picture above is from two type of Pumpkins which I liked. I didn't eat them, no, it was for 2017 Halloween but it was also to keep their Seeds. The Munchkin Pumpkin was too cute to not try to grow some for the following year, but also it was the perfect size to become a recipient for a Pumpkin Soup while the Monster Pumpkins were perfect to make the Soup with. It was a Halloween Master Plan... for 2018.

 Halloween is the perfect time to collect seeds of Squashes you do fancy to grow. My Pumpkins, Halloween 2017.

There are of course a couple of processes which are necessary after the removal of the Seeds. You do need to clean the Seeds and remove carefully any flesh from the Pumpkin they were within. Just Water will do the trick and your delicate hands. Next comes the correct labelling of the Seeds. There I can only advise that if the product was bought from a supermarket that you keep the original label to write the correct variety on your own label.

Mini Pumpkin Seeds getting through the washing process.

I do tend to collect Seeds of different Vegetables and Fruits so much so that I have a little Seed Bank. It is extremelly useful to plan what you do want to grow into your Garden next. However I do not shy away from Garden Centres their Plants, Trees and Seeds. I love the variety of it all to introduce to my Garden.

The Mini White Ghost Munchkin Pumpkin. Another one of my 'Coup de Coeur' which happened this year (2021). I kept its Seeds of course.

For the storage of the Seeds I will recommand an air tight container, but one clearly labelled so you do remember which seeds did you decide to preserve. As a rule of thumb everyone do say to plant a Squash outdoor after the last frost which could be April or May in good old England. But I will say that due to the slow growth of the Winter Squashes, not the Summer ones, I'd rather start them indoor first. Then I plant them outdoors after the last frost. At least it gives them a good start but the plant is then usually strong enough to survive the changes of weather.

Butternut Squash growing in the Garden back in the days.

Rain is necessary by all mean but it can rot a heavy Vegetable like a Squash partly, therefore it is important to elevate your Squashes somehow. In the picture above we were such amateurs we did use bricks. And I am cross to still see slug pellets. Slugs were such a plague destroying all our efforts during rainy days. But then we found a better solution when Stan the man (our neighbour who loves gardening) gave us a Frog from his pond. It was re-homed happily in our pond and since then we do have lots of Frogs and no slugs or hardly any.

Our first Frog in the bottom of the pond, left below the white Koi Carp's tail.  Our Fish are called, as a group, the Reservoir Dogs, but also individually. In the pic, this is Mr White. 

Once outside and supported so they don't touch the ground Squashes can be left to their own device. However watering them when it becomes far too hot is essential. If you do not want a lot of Squashes, collecting the Flowers is a good idea. You will have to remember that it is a spreading Plant which takes a lot of space. But well controlled Squashes are enjoyable to watch growing.

Coquina Squash growing in the Garden. I will classify this one as a delicious fancy.

But you can have lots of delicious fanciful Squashes to grow. The sky is the limit... 'Squash Trekking across the Garden',  'It is life but not as we know it'...

 Flying Saucer Squash... A novelty in the garden. It was very fancyful but a delightful point of conversation.

Star Trekkin' across the Universe song

Summer Squashes

About Growing Summer Squashes