They nourish and decorate
Cucumbers, melons, and gourds are heat- and sun-loving plants, making them ideal for the summer vegetable garden, but they can also be grown in plastic tunnels or greenhouses. Here you will also find ornamental gourds, which are essential for Halloween, but bottle gourds and luffa gourds also belong here. Read more »
Squash varieties can be used in many ways (cooking, baking, eating raw, preserving). The seed selection includes both classic and modern varieties, even untreated, uncoated seeds.
Squash cultivation is easy: in a warm, sunny spot with good soil, they yield abundantly with relatively little care. Thus, even in smaller gardens, a plentiful harvest can be expected. Ornamental gourds can be trained onto fences or pergolas. These plants require warmth and nutrients, and some species need a support system for cultivation. They are sown after the May frosts. Among cucumber seeds, you will find snake, pickling or canning, and salad cucumber varieties as well.
What belongs to the squash family?
Cucumber
Varieties suitable for salads, pickling, or fresh consumption.
Melon
Watermelon and cantaloupe varieties, with sweet, flavorful, juicy fruit.
Squash types
o Muscat squash/Hokkaido/butternut types – for cooking, baking, storage.
o Pattypan/zucchini/spaghetti squash – fast-maturing, high-yielding varieties, for salads, baking, steaming.
o Ornamental gourds and specialties – for autumn decoration.
What specialties can I find here?
• Sausage gourd – can grow up to 2 meters, can be trained onto an arbor
• Kiwano or horned cucumber – fruit with a melon-kiwi-banana flavor
• Luffa – its inner fibers can be used as a natural sponge
• Banana cucumber – 40 cm long, slightly curved, ribbed greenish-yellow fruit with a melon flavor
• Halloween pumpkin – children’s favorite, can be carved
What should you pay attention to when growing squash?
• Warmth and sunlight: these plants need a lot of heat and light — find them a warm, sunny spot.
• Soil: loose, nutrient-rich soil is best. Squash varieties like soil rich in organic matter and with good drainage.
• Sowing time, starting: often started from seedlings (especially melon, zucchini), or direct sowing (e.g. cucumber, squash) when the soil has warmed up.
• Space requirements: watermelon and butternut squash need a lot of space as they spread far, while zucchini grows into a large bush. For balcony gardening, it’s better to grow mini cucumbers.
• Care and nutrients: regular watering (especially for melons) is very important for large, juicy fruits. Organic fertilization is also recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. When should I sow cucumber, squash, or melon?
At the end of May, when the soil temperature consistently reaches 12–15 °C, or start from seedlings in April and plant out in May.
2. How much space is needed for cultivation?
There is plenty of room in a larger garden — especially zucchini, butternut squash, and watermelon need space, while cucumber and smaller squash types can be grown in smaller beds, trained onto supports (trellises), and some mini types can even be grown on balconies.
3. What kind of soil is needed?
Loose-structured, nutrient-rich, well-draining soil is best. This can be achieved with organic fertilization and working in compost.
4. What variety should I choose if I have a small garden?
Mini cucumber and zucchini, compact or bush squash and melon varieties are ideal. For smaller spaces, cucumbers for pickling or salads, and compact butternut squash varieties may be the most practical.
5. How difficult is cultivation?
Due to the high heat requirement, pay attention to the planting location and soil (it should warm up quickly and be loose-structured), but if these are provided, it’s relatively simple: with good nutrients and water supply, they yield abundantly.