Squash (Round Gourd)

Squash Crop Program (Complete Guide) (For Zucchini, Summer Squash, or Patty Pan types) 1. Land Preparation Perform deep ploughing 2–3 times to obtain a fine tilth. Soil should be well-drained sandy loam, rich in organic matter.

Both Sowing Feb–Apr Harvest Aug–Sep 100–120 maund per acre

Land Preparation

Perform deep ploughing 2–3 times to obtain a fine tilth.

Soil should be well-drained sandy loam, rich in organic matter.

Apply Farm Yard Manure (FYM): 3–4 tons per acre during land preparation.

Maintain soil pH: 6.0–7.5.

Sowing Time (Pakistan)

Region Sowing Time
Punjab February–April & July–August
Sindh January–March
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa March–May
Balochistan February–April

Squash grows best in warm weather (temperature 25–35°C).

Seed Rate and Spacing

Seed rate: 1.5–2 kg per acre.

Row spacing: 5–6 feet (150–180 cm).

Plant spacing: 1.5–2 feet (45–60 cm).

Plant on ridges or beds to prevent waterlogging.

Seed Treatment

Treat seeds with Carbendazim @ 2g/kg to prevent fungal diseases.

Optional: Soak seeds in water for 8 hours before sowing for better germination.

Irrigation Schedule

Stage Frequency
After Sowing Light irrigation immediately
Vegetative Stage Every 7–10 days
Flowering & Fruiting Every 5–7 days (critical stage)
Maturity Stop irrigation 5–7 days before harvest

Avoid over-irrigation — it causes root rot and poor fruit quality.

Fertilizer Application (Per Acre)

Fertilizer Quantity Time of Application
DAP (18:46:0) 1.5 bags (75 kg) At sowing
Urea (46% N) 1.5 bags (75 kg) Split: half at sowing, half at flowering
SOP (Potash) 1 bag (50 kg) Before fruiting
Zinc Sulphate 10 kg At sowing

Potash improves fruit firmness, taste, and shelf life.

Weed Management

Weed Damage Control Product
Horse Purslane (Itsit) It germinates on the bed within days of the first watering and smothers the young vine before it starts to run. Pendimethalin 33%EC
Common Purslane (Kulfa) It sprouts thick on the damp bed after sowing and drinks the moisture out of the top soil the young vine feeds on. Pendimethalin 33%EC
Barnyard Grass (Swank) Its seed sprouts with the crop in the warm, wet bed and, left alone, rises over the vine and shades the flowers. Pendimethalin 33%EC
Bermuda Grass (Khabbal) Its runners weave through the vines so it cannot be hoed out without lifting them, and it takes water all season. Rake the runners out at bed preparation and carry them off the field; do not rotavate a khabbal patch, as every cut piece roots again. Keep the bunds clean.
Purple Nutsedge (Deela) It pushes its sharp shoots up through the bed and takes nitrogen just when the vine is setting fruit. First hoeing 20-25 days after sowing

First hoeing 20–25 days after sowing.

Use Pendimethalin 33% EC @ 1 liter/acre as pre-emergence herbicide within 2–3 days after sowing.

Keep the field weed-free especially during early growth.

Major Pests and Their Control

Pest Damage Recommended Product
Fruit Fly Fruits become deformed and rot Spinosad or Bait traps
Aphids Curling leaves, virus transmission Imidacloprid or Thiamethoxam
Thrips Silvery patches on leaves Acetamiprid (Rancho™ 20 SP) or Emamectin Benzoate (Veento™ 1.9% EC)
Red Pumpkin Beetle Feeds on leaves and flowers Lambda Cyhalothrin or Spinetoram

Major Diseases and Their Management

Disease Symptoms Control
Downy Mildew Yellow/brown spots under leaves Mancozeb + Metalaxyl (Contra Ache™ 72% WP)
Powdery Mildew White powdery growth Sulphur 80% (Vesant 80% WG) or Tebuconazole
Anthracnose Dark lesions on fruit and leaves Azoxystrobin + Tebuconazole
Fusarium Wilt Plants suddenly wilt and die Crop rotation + Trichoderma treatment