Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Growing Vegetables

Too Late for Winter Squash in Portland?

Yes, too late for direct seeding — frost will kill plants before maturity. Only option: start in pots indoors with strong light and heat, but even that's marginal for winter squash's long season.

Better Strategy

Plan for next spring. Winter squash needs 90-120 frost-free days. Portland's season is better suited to summer squash or quick-maturing varieties started early indoors.

Growing Vegetables: Late-Fall Planting in the Willamette Valley, Oregon; Late Fall Lawn Seeding in Portland, Oregon; Dormant Seeding vs. Spring Seeding on a Sloped Connecticut Site; Solving Squash Blossom Drop; Squash Blossom Drop in Heavy Rain: Fungus Likely; Harvesting Winter Squash: Timing and Ripening; Starting Coleus Indoors: A Colorful Winter Project; Winter Squash Nutrition and Cooking: Health Benefits, Best Varieties, and Preparation Tips; How Late Can You Plant in Fall/Winter in Atlanta?; Late Summer Squash Replanting

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