Types of Heat-Tolerant Squash

Differences in Squash

• Summer squash should be eaten at an immature stage, while the rind is tender and can be penetrated with a fingernail. Winter squash, on the other hand, is not harvested till the flesh is fully mature and the rind has hardened. Neither thrives in cool weather, and their growing requirements are virtually the same, reports the Texas Gardener magazine. Some varieties grow as vines, other as bush-like plants. If you are planting both, keep them separated for best results.

Requirements for a Hot Climate

• Before spring planting, loosen the soil and work in compost or manure. Squash need heavy feeding to get started. Through the summer, treat them with a water-soluble fertilizer every month. The Texas Gardener advises watering at least three times a week during the hottest, driest period. Just water the roots, though, or use drip irrigation. In humid conditions, powdery mildew and other diseases can appear if water splashes on the foliage.

Specific Varieties Recommended

• Heat-resistant zucchini varieties for Southern gardens include Cocozelle, Spineless Beauty and Black Beauty, according to the University of Florida's Vegetable Gardening Guide. Other summer squash choices recommended by the guide are Early Prolific Straightneck, Summer Crookneck and Early White Scallop. The Texas Gardener suggests Delicata (a striped winter specimen tasting somewhat a sweet potato) and the summer Sunburst Scallop. For winter squash, notable acorn varieties include Table King, Table Queen and Table Ace. Waltham, Early Butternut, Spaghetti and Calabaza are other winter squash types the Florida guide says are worth a try.

After Harvest

• Always cut squash from the vines; pulling them off could break the stems. Summer squash can be gathered when only two inches long to use raw in a salad. Leave them till about six inches long if they will be cooked. Harvesting of winter squash should wait until the vegetable is mature. Most varieties of winter squash can be cured before storage to harden the rind and heal any cuts on the surface. This is done by keeping them at 80 to 85 F for 10 days. Acorn squash should not be cured. Rind colors signal when different winter varieties reach maturity. Spaghetti squash will be a soft yellow; butternut, tan; acorn, deep green; and Delicata, cream with dark green stripes. Winter squash will keep for months in a cool and dry place. Conversely, summer squash needs to be used within a few days or blanched and frozen.