In this month’s Food Gardening Magazine, you get everything you need to know about growing summer squash at home—they’re nutritious, delicious, and easy to grow! Your summer squash garden doesn’t have to be big, because your summer squash plants will be producing with abundance with just a little care. Learn all about the best summer squash to grow depending on your gardening situation, and get ready to start planting!

You get all the tips, techniques, and advice about how to start and maintain an awesome summer squash garden, including growing yellow crookneck summer squash—there’s so much more to summer squash than zucchini! We’ve got you covered when it comes to planting and growing summer squash!

Plus, you get specific advice about the best way to plant summer squash—including growing summer squash in containers or in a raised garden bed; and even growing summer squash vertically on a trellis.

You’ve probably heard that summer squash grows well with some other plants, like corn and beans. We’ll tell you about the history of the summer squash as a companion plant, which might inspire you to try something similar in your summer squash garden. We’ll also give you tips on the ideal summer squash spacing so your summer squash plants have enough room to grow—while still leaving enough room for the rest of your garden.

This gardening guide about summer squash is your #1 guide for being the best summer squash gardener you can be! You should refer to this gardening guide whenever you have questions about your summer squash garden—from planning to planting and from maintaining and nurturing to harvesting and reaping the rewards in your kitchen.

First, you get a complete Introduction to Summer Squash—including some history and basics about summer squash. Did you know that summer squash is technically a fruit? Or that you really only need to grow one or two summer squash plants—unless you’re planning to feed the entire neighborhood? Or that people have been cultivating summer squash for about 10,000 years? This gardening guide is loaded with fun facts about summer squash!

Then, you get Feature Articles about Summer Squash that include:

• Types of Squash—learn the real difference between summer squash and winter squash, and how much variety you can find beyond your basic zucchini.
• Choosing to Grow Your Summer Squash from Seeds or Seedlings—whether you start your squash from seeds or seedlings depends on the type of squash you’re looking for, your level of patience, and your budget. (Hint: you get more variety with seeds, and you save a lot of money starting your own!)
• Growing Summer Squash in Open Land, in Containers, or in Raised Beds—everything you need to know about growing summer squash where you live. Find out which type of garden is best for your needs and situation—and how you can plan for a big harvest from even a small space.
• When and Where to Grow Your Summer Squash—squash likes warm weather, and that includes warm soil. Find out the ideal soil pH for a successful summer squash harvest, and the best spacing to give your squash room to grow.
• Growing Summer Squash in Pots and on Trellises—get the lowdown on choosing the right pot for growing your squash, and how a trellis can save you space and protect your harvest.
• Nurturing and Harvesting Your Summer Squash—squash are thirsty plants, so you’ll want to make sure you keep their soil nice and moist. Learn the ideal way to water your squash plants. Get some tips on pollinating your squash—even if it means pollinating by hand (don’t worry; it’s easy!). And get tips on the best time to harvest your squash—before it turns bitter.
• Defeating Summer Squash Pests—the best “treatment” is prevention. Get out there every day to check on your squash to keep the pests away. If they do show up, we have tips for dealing with them.
• How to Deal with Summer Squash Diseases—preparation is the best prevention to keep your squash healthy. Learn how to spot—and treat—diseases that can destroy your summer squash plants.
• Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing Summer Squash—get the full list of essential gardening tools and equipment for nurturing and enjoying summer squash … and for almost all of your gardening needs.

Next, this premium gardening guide highlights six popular summer squash varieties to help you choose the varieties you want to grow—this is just a sampling of the many varieties available:

• Zucchini Squash
• Pattypan Squash
• Yellow Crookneck Squash
• Tatuma Squash
• Ronde de Nice Squash
• Round Zucchini Squash

And all your summer-squash-gardening efforts are more satisfying when you have quick and easy-to-make recipes, to ensure your harvest has something for everyone at your table. Food Gardening Network is all about providing delicious recipes for making mouth-watering dishes. Try these recipes and enjoy your summer squash harvest:

• Low-Carb Yellow Squash Casserole
• Summer Squash Bread
• Yellow Squash Patties
• Garlicky Summer Squash and Fresh Corn
• Zucchini Pizza Bake
• Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

Next, you’ll learn all about the health benefits of summer squash with Nutrition Facts about Squash and Health Benefits of Squash. Learn about all the wonderful and beneficial attributes of squash—including skin health, heart health, bone and eye health, weight loss, and more.

And to be sure you have everything you need to grow your own summer squash, we’ve included a Resources about Summer Squash section—so that you can easily find additional tools and information about summer squash.

Finally, our Squash Glossary section gives you the explanation of key summer squash-gardening terms and concepts—so, you’re up to date about important summer squash-gardening ideas.

Check out this premium gardening guide now—Happiness is Summer Squash—All You Need to Know About Growing Summer Squash—and you’ll really learn everything you need to know about summer squash!

Mary Van Doren, Norann Oleson, Victoria Arnold, and Samantha Pulcherz contributed to the creation of this gardening guide.