How to Grow Mother Hubbard Squash

Mother Hubbard squash, or just hubbard squash, is a winter squash with a hard green or blue shell, depending on the variety. The sweet orange flesh is enjoyed through baking the squash or used in a variety of other dishes, such as baked goods and soups. You can grow this squash by sowing the seeds directly into your garden soil, about two weeks after the last frost in your location. Squash is one of the easiest vegetables to grow, so it is a superb choice for the first-time vegetable gardener.

Hubbard seeds
Shovel
Rake
Compost
Hose sprayer attachment

Instructions

- 1
  Work the soil in your garden in preparation for planting Mother Hubbard squash seeds. Dig down in the soil to a depth between 1 to 2 feet. Break up any hard dirt clods and remove any stones, weeds or twigs. Rake the soil evenly.
- 2
  Layer 2 to 3 inches of compost over the worked soil. Work the compost into the soil with your shovel. Rake the soil evenly.
- 3
  Create mounds of soil that are 6 to 8 inches high. Keep in mind that the mature Mother Hubbard squash plant can reach 15 feet across, so space your mounds to accommodate this size of plant. Use the corner of your hoe to create a moat around each mound. Many gardeners place a mound in the corners of their garden.
- 4
  Moisten the mounds with the hose sprayer attachment. The soil should be moist, but not muddy and sopping.
- 5
  Plant three seeds in the top of each mound, about five inches apart. Poke 1-inch-deep holes. Drop a seed in each hole and then cover it with soil.
- 6
  Keep the seed area of the mounds moist, with a light water spray each day. Make sure the spray is not so harsh that it unearths the seeds. If the weather is especially warm, spray water over the mounds twice a day.
- 7
  Spray water over the tops of the mounds even after seed germination. When the plants are 5 to 6 inches tall, begin watering in the moats around the mounds.

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