Know Maturity Dates for Different Varieties
There are summer and winter squash varieties that are yellow, but “yellow squash” usually refers to yellow crookneck squash and yellow straightneck squash. Seed companies sell heirloom and hybrid varieties of each. Both of these are considered summer squash and mature in a slightly different amount of time.
Yellow Crookneck Squash
The growing of yellow crookneck squash dates back to before Christopher Columbus’ day. The heirloom variety of yellow crookneck squash is one of the oldest types of squash. Within about 50 days of planting, be prepared to start picking young, tender squash.
A yellow crookneck squash that is ready to be picked will be four to seven inches long depending on the variety. That size is usually reached about one week after the flower blossoms appear.
Bumps on the rind are present on some varieties when ripe. If this squash is left on the plant too long, the rind becomes hard and the bumps grow larger. Pick the fruit before this stage. You will be rewarded with tastier squash.
There is more than one variety of crookneck squash to choose from. Here are some varieties available from seed companies:
- Early Golden Summer Squash
- Summerpac Hybrid Squash
- Pic-N-Pic Hybrid Squash
- Early Summer Crookneck Squash
- Sundance Hybrid Squash
Yellow Straightneck Squash
When flower blossoms appear on the squash plant, get ready to harvest one of the most productive crops that can be grown in your garden. Pick firm, plump squashes that are heavy for their size.
Yellow straightneck squash should be harvested when young and tender. Most are still tender at four to eight inches long: some varieties can still be tender at eight to nine inches long. The seed packaging or seed catalog will usually state the best harvest lengths and days to maturity. Most yellow straightneck varieties take 60 days to mature.
There are numerous varieties of yellow straightneck squash to grow. Here are some of those varieties:
- Summer Saffron Squash
- Early Prolific Straightneck Squash
- Cosmos Hybrid Squash
- Goldbar Hybrid Squash
Know the Facts About What You Are Growing
The beginning of knowing when to pick the yellow squash you are growing is learning its growth habits (maturity date, desired length, etc.). Remember, just because a yellow squash is capable of growing 12 inches long, does not mean it will still be tasty. Avoid wasting your precious crop by picking young squash early and often.
