Description

Waltham Butternut squash is a classic winter variety known for its rich, sweet flavor, perfect for roasting, baking, or pureeing into soups. Each plant yields 4 to 5 fruits, each 8″–12″ long and weighing 3–6 pounds, with light tan skin and vibrant yellow-orange flesh. This 1970 All-America Selections winner is not only a favorite for its delicious taste but also for its ability to resist squash vine borers, making it a hardy and reliable choice for your garden. The fruits store well for months, allowing you to enjoy them all winter long.

Botanical Name: Cucurbita moschata
Days to Maturity: 100 days
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Native: Northern Columbia
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Plant Dimensions: 8' vines
Variety Information: 8″–12″ long, 3–6 pounds, light tan skin with yellowish-orange flesh.
Type: Butternut
Attributes: Resists Squash Vine Borers, Long Storing

When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 70°–85°F.
When to Start Inside: Not recommended except in very short growing seasons, 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date. Roots sensitive to disturbance; sow in 4″ biodegradable pots that can be planted directly into the ground. Transplant when soil temperature is at least 60°F.
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: ½–1″
Seed Spacing: 2–3 seeds per mound
Row Spacing: 6'–8'
Thinning: When 3″ leaves, thin to 1–2 per mound

Harvesting: Harvest when the squash's rind is hard enough that you can't dent it with your fingernail and before first frost. Cut stem, (don't break it off) leaving 2″ of stem attached, which keeps the squash whole, leaving no opening for infection. Though fruits are hard and may seem indestructible, treat them gently; bruising can spoil squash.

This packet sows up to 9 mounds. 18 seeds.