Plant Squash in Hills

Are you wondering how people get those nice, thick squash plants that produce heavily? Planting squash in hills can give your squash first rate drainage, helping them to grow well. Here are a few easy tricks to getting your squash patch up and rivaling your neighbors.

Note: Most squash are planted in hills instead of rows.

Steps

 * 1) Till your garden deeply by hand or by rototiller. See wikiHow's article on how to double dig a garden for instructions.
 * 2) Mark the placement of the hills. Hills of bushy summer squashes can be placed 2-3 feet apart, while hills of vine squashes (Acorn, Hubbard, Buttercup, Pumpkin, etc.) will need to be placed 8-10 feet apart to allow for spreading and to prevent hybridization when vines cross and meld.
 * 3) [[Image:Ss1_marking_773.JPG|thumb|Make a hole at each hill location.]]Dig a hole at each hill location. One or two good scrapes of the hoe should do the trick.
 * 4) [[Image:Ss2_fertilizer_730.JPG|thumb|About a tablespoon per hill.]]Sprinkle slow release fertilizer into the hole.
 * 5) [[Image:Ss4_compost_worm_144.JPG|thumb|A very welcome addition to the garden!]][[Image:Ss5_compost_891.JPG|thumb|Compost in holes.]]Add a two hands amount of well rotted compost or manure. This will absorb and hold water, keeping the roots evenly supplied and hedging against extra dry weather.
 * 6) [[Image:Ss6_hill_prep_103.JPG|thumb|Make your mounds/hills.]] Cover the mound of fertilizer and manure with dirt to form a mound approximately 2 feet in diameter and 6-8 inches high.
 * 7) Smooth the top of the hill.
 * 8) [[Image:Ss7_seeds_591.JPG|thumb|Space the seeds evenly; 6-8 per hill is plenty, and 3 per hill is okay too.]]Lay out your seeds.
 * 9) [[Image:Ss8_poked_69.JPG|thumb|Poke them in.]]Poke the seeds down into the hill approximately one inch (down close to the compost).
 * 10) Cover the seeds with dirt.
 * 11) [[Image:Ss9_patted_108.JPG|thumb|Pat it down to prevent washing it away with a too strong hose.]]Pat the dirt down.
 * 12) [[Image:Giant squash plant 2105.jpg|170px|right]] Water gently at least every other day.
 * 13) *Thin out seedlings to three per hill once they are established.
 * 14) *Reapply fertilizer every 10 days.

Tips

 * [[Image:Ss11_hose_2_206.JPG|thumb|Soaker hose set up by this author.]]Setting up an automatic watering system will save you a lot of wet shoes. This image shows a set-up which is attached to a hose timer (USD $15) at the spigot.

Warnings

 * Squash bugs, cucumber beetles and borers can attack squash. Keep an eye out for them.

Things You'll Need

 * Rototiller
 * Spade
 * Hoe
 * Fertilizer
 * Manure
 * Compost
 * Watering supplies

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Use Your Compost
 * How to Set up an Inexpensive Irrigation System
 * How to Make Baked Zucchini Strips
 * How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash with Rice
 * How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
 * How to Make a Squash Casserole
 * How to Bake a Winter Squash