Squash ‘Banana’ (Cucurbita maxima)

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Plant Details

Category: Vegetable

Light: Full Sun

Bloom Season: Summer

Height: 18-24" /

46-61cm

Space: 42-48" /

107-122cm

Zones: 8, 9, 10, 11

Lowest Temp: 10° to 20°F /

-12° to -7°C

Colors: Blue, Pink, Green

Days to Maturity: 105

Fruit Size: 12-15lb /

5.4-6.8kg

Basic Care

Plant in a sunny location after the threat of frost has passed. Space 5′ (1.5m) apart, provide ample water, and fertilize regularly. Allow fruit to fully ripen before harvesting.

Water

Keep well-watered.

Soil

Organic-rich, well-drained soil.

Feed

Use a fertilizer formulated for vegetables.

detailed care guide →

Sun Loving

Culinary

Beds

Features

There are several varieties of this trailing winter squash, with the most popular being ‘Blue Banana’ and ‘Pink Banana’. As their names indicate, each differs mainly in their skin color, but retains the elongated shape. Their vines can grow up to 15’ long, so allow plenty of room for the plant to develop. Banana Squash are also known as Mexican Banana and Plymouth Rock Squash.

Uses

Seal in the flavor and vitamins by wrapping squash halves in foil with butter and bake. Banana Squash stores well, up to a month or more. Wash fruits, vegetables and herbs thoroughly before eating.

Squash ‘Banana’ (Cucurbita maxima) Care Guide

Select a sunny site, away from trees and close to a water source if possible.

Prepare the garden by breaking up the existing soil (use a hoe, spade, or power tiller) to a depth of 12-16” (30-40cm). Add organic matter such as manure, peat moss or garden compost until the soil is loose and easy to work. Organic ingredients improve drainage, add nutrients, and encourage earthworms and other organisms that help keep soil healthy. Give plants an extra boost by adding a granulated fertilizer formulated for vegetables or and all-purpose feed (such as a fertilizer labeled 5-10-5).

Remove the plant from the container. If plants are in a pack, gently squeeze the outside of the individual plant cell while tipping container to the side. If plant doesn’t loosen, continue pressing on the outside of the container while gently grasping the base of the plant and tugging carefully so as not to crush or break the stem until the plant is released. If the plant is in a pot, brace the base of the plant, tip it sideways and tap the outside of the pot to loosen. Rotate the container and continue to tap, loosening the soil until the plant pulls smoothly from the pot.

Dig the hole up to two times larger than the root ball and deep enough that the plant will be at the same level in the ground as the soil level in the container. Grasping the plant at the top of the root ball, use your finger to lightly rake apart the lower roots apart. This is especially important if the roots are dense and have filled up the container. Set the plant in the hole.

Check the plant label for suggested spacing and the mature height of the plant. Position plants so that taller plants are in the center or background of the garden and shorter plants in the foreground.

Plan ahead for plants that get tall and require staking or support cages. It’s best to install cages early in the spring, at planting time, before the foliage gets bushy. Vining vegetables can occupy a lot of space, so provide a trellis, fence, or other structure that allows the plant to grow vertically to maximize garden space.

Ideally water should only be applied to the root zone – an area roughly 6-12” (15-30cm) from the base of the plant, not the entire plant. A soaker hose is a great investment for keeping plants healthy and reducing water lost through evaporation. Hand watering using a watering wand with a sprinkler head attached is also a good way to control watering. If the garden area is large, and a sprinkler is necessary, try to water in the morning so that plant foliage has time to dry through the day. Moist foliage encourages disease and mold that can weaken or damage plants.

There are several reasons to prune vegetable plants: to help contain a plant’s size, to promote bushy compact growth, to remove dead or diseased stems, and to promote larger, healthier fruit yields.

Flower buds can be pinched off to force the plant energy into fewer fruits that develop faster.

A well prepared planting bed enriched with organic matter such as compost or manure and a mild general-purpose, granulated fertilizer gets plants off to a good start. Give plants a boost later in the season with a fertilizer formulated for vegetables.

Fertilizers are available in many forms: granulated, slow-release, liquid feeds, organic or synthetic. Follow the package directions to determine how much, and how often, to feed.

Be sure to keep the garden well-weeded. Weeds take vital moisture and nutrients away from the vegetable plants.

Companion/Combination Plants

Squash ‘Banana’ (Cucurbita maxima)

Plant Details