Norann Oleson, Editorial Director of Food Gardening Network

Winter squash is full of possibilities! The great thing about this fabulous food is that it isn’t just one thing. It’s versatile enough to cook into soup, stew, bread, and more. And it’s so good for you, you can reap great health benefits with each forkful.

No matter the size of your garden space, there’s a winter squash that will work for you. We’ll show you the assortment of choices available to you.

First is the collection’s Introduction, where you’ll learn some of the basics about winter squash and how to choose the right variety to grow depending on your growing season and your garden capacity. You’ll also get the history of this nutritious food. Did you know that winter squash are native to the Americas?

Next, in the Feature Articles, you’ll get specifics about squash growing—from the types of winter squash to the best way to start growing to watering, fertilizing, and harvesting your plants so they stay healthy and productive throughout the season.

There’s a lot to know about growing winter squash, so even if you’re a veteran, you might learn something new. We aim to gather everything there is to know about growing winter squash into this single collection!

We have several fun Plant Profiles with a good representative sampling of varieties available, including options for gardeners around the country and those who want to grow winter squash in containers.

We’ve chosen these squash plant profiles because they are some of the most commonly grown. If you’d like us to include another squash variety that appeals to you, please let me know by commenting below.

After all, this is Food Gardening Network, and we want to include the knowledge of all our gardening readers in everything we do. Your input is just as important to us as anything we come up with on our own!

We do think you’ll love the squash Recipes we’ve compiled for enjoying the fruits of your labor. They cover some traditional uses of winter squash, plus some new approaches to using winter squash you might want to try.

Go beyond basic side dishes and let the flavor of your homegrown winter squash shine through! Our Winning Winter Squash Collection is a great way to showcase the harvest from your winter squash crop. We have all sorts of recipes that you can make for everyday meals, with tips for dressing them up for fancy dinners.

After that, you’ll be interested to learn how winter squash can benefit your health in Nutrition Facts about Winter Squash. Winter squash have great antioxidant properties, and they’re loaded with vitamins A and C!

Then there are the Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Winter Squash where you’ll learn how winter squash are thought to help heart health, prevent cancer, and contribute to better digestive health.

Because we want you to have everything there is to know about winter squash at your fingertips, we’ve included a Resources section that’s complementary to this collection. Learn more about tools specific to growing winter squash, and kitchen tools that will come in handy after you’ve harvested your winter squash.

As always, we’ve included a brief Glossary in case you need a deeper explanation of any key terms. Be sure to let us know if there’s something else you need explained.

I’m off to make some Spaghetti Squash Alfredo for dinner right now, but I hope you’re ready to dive in and become a master squash grower!