As a gardener, you likely know that squash plants can be prolific producers when cared for properly. But just how many squash can you expect from a single plant? The answer depends on several factors. In this article, we’ll look at the variables that affect squash yield and provide some estimates for how many squash one plant can produce.
Squash Variety Makes a Difference
There are many different varieties of squash and some produce more prolifically than others. Smaller bush-type summer squashes like zucchini and yellow crookneck tend to produce more per plant than larger vining winter squashes.
For example, a single zucchini plant can produce around 10-20 pounds of squash per season, while a single buttercup squash vine may only produce 5-8 mature fruits. So when estimating squash yield, the first thing to consider is the variety you’re growing.
Plant Spacing Plays a Role
How close together your squash plants are spaced also impacts how many squash each one can produce. Plants spaced too closely will compete for sunlight and nutrients.
General spacing guidelines per plant are
- Zucchini/Summer Squash – 24-36 inches
- Winter Squash/Pumpkins – 48-60 inches
Plants with enough room to spread out their vines and leaves will perform better and yield more than crowded plants.
Growing Conditions Affect Productivity
The care and growing conditions your squash plants receive makes a big difference in productivity. Factors like soil quality, watering, mulching, and fertilization impact the number of squash each plant can support.
Rich soil amended with compost provides nutrients for optimal growth. Consistent moisture prevents stress and flower/fruit abortion. Mulch conserves water and smothers weeds. And proper fertilization gives plants the nutrients they need for vigorous growth and high yields.
Time and Proper Care Boost Yields
Another consideration is how long you let your squash plants produce. The longer the growing season, the more squash a plant can potentially produce, provided you keep it healthy.
For example, a zucchini plant may only produce 3-5 squash in the first few weeks after blooming. But over a whole summer, with proper care, it can keep flowering and fruiting for months and yield dozens more.
Time and tending leads to higher yields. So the longer you can keep your plants in peak condition, the more squash you’ll get.
Average Estimates Per Plant
Taking all these factors into account, here are some general guidelines for potential productivity per squash plant:
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Zucchini – 10-20 lbs or around 8-15 squash
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Yellow Crookneck – 12-25 squash
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Patty Pan – 15-25 squash
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Spaghetti Squash – 5-8 mature fruits
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Acorn Squash – 5-7 mature fruits
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Buttercup Squash – 5-8 mature fruits
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Pumpkins – 3-5 mature fruits
Remember these are rough estimates and your actual yields may vary based on your climate, soil, and growing practices. The right varieties and optimal care can push yields to the higher end of these ranges.
Maximize Your Squash Yields
While each squash plant has limits on potential productivity, you can maximize yields through proper planting techniques and care:
- Select disease-resistant, prolific varieties
- Allow enough space between plants
- Prepare soil with compost/nutrients
- Use drip irrigation for consistent moisture
- Apply mulch to conserve water and smother weeds
- Fertilize according to package directions
- Control pests/diseases as needed
- Extend season as long as possible
With a little TLC, your squash plants will reward you with a bountiful harvest! Monitor your plants and adjust care as needed to keep them thriving season-long.
Bush Squash Are Short on Leaves but Not on Fruit
A bush squash is one that never produces small side vines. The plants typically take up an area no bigger than 3 ft. by 3 ft. There are also semi-bush squash, which have dense vines that begin to sprawl but never get very far from the center plant. Semi-bush plants ultimately take up more space than bush plants, but they tend to yield more fruit, and their sprawling vines can often be tucked back close to the main plant. Given the limited amount of space they cover, both bush and semi-bush squash produce a lot of fruit, almost as if the plants don’t realize their short side vines are missing.
These compact winter squash are not, however, without drawbacks. Bush squash typically concentrate their fruit set at one time, leaving them susceptible to heavy losses from insect damage. With their single stem and minimal foliage, bush squash are particularly vulnerable to stem-chewing vine borers and leaf-feeding squash bugs (see Tip). Fortunately, semi-bush squash tend to set fruit in several flushes, giving the plants a chance to replace lost fruit after an insect onslaught.
Because foliage helps produce the sugars that feed the fruits, the small amount of foliage on a bush plant can contribute to poorer tasting flesh. The tendency of some bush varieties to overproduce fruit compounds the problem. But the best of them produce plenty of good-looking, tasty fruit.
Seven Compact Squash That Measure Up
‘Gold Nugget’, a bush buttercup, is my favorite bush squash because it has the strong squash taste I prefer. The fruits, which average 1 lb. to 3 lb., start out pale yellow and ripen to red-orange with faint striping. The flesh inside is firm, dry, and dark yellow. The fruits’ tough skin repels squash bugs and cucumber beetles, but the stems, like those of other buttercup squash, are highly susceptible to vine borers.
‘Emerald Bush Buttercup’ is often billed as a true bush variety, but in my experience, the plants start out as a tidy bush, then send out runners toward the end of the season. The fruits are pale gray-green, similar to those of most vining buttercups. Their skin is not as thick as that of ‘Gold Nugget’, so to prevent sun-scald and insect damage, harvest the fruits as soon as they mature.
‘Burpee’s Butterbush’ is the best of the bush butternuts. It produces small, uniform fruits that usually weigh less than 1-1/2 lb. each. ‘Burpee’s Butterbush’, like all butternuts, is highly resistant to vine borers because vine borer larvae have trouble chewing their way into the hard stems. This is an enormous advantage here in the Midwest and in the South. But you must be sure to thin some of the fruits; otherwise the plants will overproduce, leaving you with squash the size of a pickle.
‘Ponca’, a semi-bush variety, is an excellent butternut squash for gardeners with a little more space. The vines cover an area 6 ft. square, but more vines mean more full-size fruit. True to the butternut type, ‘Ponca’ fruits have tan skin, thick necks, and lots of light orange flesh.
‘Table King’ is a bush acorn variety whose compact plants are as vigorous as those of most vining varieties. The fruits mature in only 75 days, but taste much better if allowed to cure on the vine a few more weeks, until their bottoms turn orange. I thin to five fruits per plant, and if the plant is healthy, all will develop into full-size, full-flavored squash.
The best of the bush acorns is ‘Table Gold’, which is sometimes called ‘Golden Acorn’ or ‘Jersey Golden Acorn’. I find the orange-skinned fruits sweeter and more flavorful than common vining green acorns.
One of my favorite squashes, a relative of acorn squash, is ‘Sweet Dumpling’. This variety has a compact vine most of the season, but develops a larger vine toward harvest time. The green and white striped fruits are perfect for a single serving. Their flavor is richer, sweeter, and nuttier than that of other acorn varieties.
Zucchini Growing Tips I Wish I’d Known | Home Gardening: Ep. 5
FAQ
How much does one squash plant yield?
| Type | Variety | Avg. Yield Fruit/Plant |
|---|---|---|
| Butternut | Little Dipper | 3-4 |
| Buttercup | Buttercup Burgess** | 3-4 |
| Delicata/Sweet Dumpling | Delicata* | 5-7 |
| Delicata/Sweet Dumpling | Sweet Dumpling | 8-10 |
How many squash grow on one plant?
A healthy summer squash plant may yield up to 25 pounds, or 3 to 7 squash per week during the peak harvest. If you pick the summer squash when they are still very small (baby squash), the yield drops to about 5 pounds.
Do squash plants keep producing?
Yes, summer squash plants, like zucchini, can keep producing throughout the season if properly cared for.
How many squash plants for family of 4?
| Vegetable crop | Plants per 1 person | Plants per 4 People |
|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | 4 to 6 | 12 to 24 |
| Radishes | 10 to 15 | 60 |
| Spinach | 4 to 8 | 16 to 32 |
| Squash (Summer & Winter) | 1 to 2 | 2 to 4 |