Hey everyone! I'm gearing up for my 2026 garden, and I'm super excited after my successful first year! I have some raised metal beds that are 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 12 inches deep. If I decide to plant just one winter squash (leaning towards Kabocha or Butternut), is that enough depth, or should I use my other beds that are deeper at 24 inches? I haven't grown winter squash before, and just to clarify, my ground underneath is pretty much solid clay and rock – our tractor has a hard time cutting through it unless it's softened in the spring.
2 Answers
From my experience, squash have shallow roots, so you should be alright with a foot of soil. I grow about 10 winter squash every year and the vines can stretch out to about 20 feet, just so you know what you're getting into!
Ideally, for squash, 12 to 18 inches of soil should work as long as it doesn't freeze. If your ground freezes hard, then aim for at least 24 to 36 inches.
Yeah, freezing is definitely an issue for me. I'm planning to start the seeds indoors and get them planted before the frost hits. Gotta love those Zone 5 challenges!
That's really helpful, thanks! I can let the vines trail over the side of the bed and along the fence, which should work out nicely. By the way, how many squash do you usually get from each plant?