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Vegetable Gardening

Kabocha Squash? Anyone has experience growing them?

8 years ago

I have already harvested my regular orange looking pumpkins successfully. I planted this regular pumpkin seed the same time as Kabocha Squash. The later died about 2 weeks ago, all of them.

The package of my kabocha squash does not indicate what zone it should be planted. I assume that all squash types can be planted in Zone 8A. Obviously, they are not! Or is it because it just needs more care?

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Comments (6)

digdirt2
8 years ago
Kabocha can be grown just about anywhere. It doesn't have "zone" issues unless you mean the far north where the season isn't long enough for winter squash to reach maturity.

Sounds like the issue wasn't the variety but squash vine borers or some other disease/pest problem that took the plants down. It wasn't due to the variety.

Dave
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farmerdill
8 years ago
Kabocha are C. maxima. Same as Hubbards and Buttercups. More prone to SVB then other species. That is the biggest danger. I rarely try a C. maxima here in Georgia for that reason.
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Sorry for your SVB losses, we get them here in SC as well. I grow mostly moschata or butternut winter squash on trellis because they are largely unaffected by SVB. The solid stem pepo's like acorn, spaghetti and Tatume are not bothered very much by them either. But we do have pickle worms that migrate here mid to late July, and they bore into the fruits. At that point you really have no choice but to harvest the squash, ripe or not. Once inside you can either cut the worm out and eat it (unripe butternuts taste great, sliced and grilled or in casseroles or fried, pretty much any way that you like summer squash) or you can try submerging it and the worm may come out. If you want, then you can put it in a warm area of the house and cure it for 3-4 weeks. Mine kept fine for 6 months+ and still tasted great, just don't forget to cut out the worm eaten area! Never tried maxima' ripening off the vine, but it might work. The accepted wisdom for butternuts is the same as kabocha, allow it to ripen in the field, but sometimes you just can't get a harvest if you go by "accepted wisdom". I have tried a lot of squash and cukes and all are affected by these destructive pests, ideally you get them in the ground early and harvest before the pickle worm gets here. We had a wet spring and I had to reseed, so mine won't be ready by late July. When they show up I am going to harvest mine, ready or not. They even bored into one that I put inside a ladies knee high hose! Both SVB and pickle worms are deadly enemies of squash gardeners! Pic to follow
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jjjjade H
Original Author
8 years ago
OK. thanks. Good to know that they can be planted anywhere here. The reason why I suspect the failure to be the variety was because my regular pumpkin vines were fine and well established, but not kabocha's
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digdirt2
8 years ago
Depends on the variety but SVB seldom, if ever, bothered any of my pumpkins. Not when there was squash for them to latch onto instead. Since I started using row covers on my squash I don't have any problems with SVB.

Dave
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chigardenlady
8 years ago
I grew these last year and again this year. Last year all of my vines got the powdery mildew, but were still able to produce. These are great roasted and we love the seeds. Sorry they died, I would replant rite away since you are in zone 8, sure you have plenty of time.
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RedSun (Zone 6, NJ)
8 years ago
I planted kabocha last year and lost most of them to SVB. This year, I protected the vines and I still do not see the SVB moth come by this time. The vines are growing very strong now. The largest fruit is about 3" diameter.

I also have about 20 small vines, just with 3 sets of true leaves. I hope they can produce some before the frost time. Kabocha needs a long growing season, like 90 days or so.

Kobocha is about the only pumpkin/squash I grow and eat. The orange pumpkins are for Halloween and I did not plant them this year.
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