Cushaw Squash Mix 2025

Hello, all! Going to Seed would like to offer a cushaw (C. argyrosperma or mixta) seed mix in 2025 but this will depend on if we receive enough seed to distribute. If you had a successful harvest and can spare some seed, please fill out this form and mail in the seed by the end of November.

If you would like to donate seed of other crops at the same time, include them on the same form and send in one box (each crop separately packaged and labeled, of course!). Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Thank you so much!

Happy harvesting,
DebbieA
a GTS squash steward

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I will be offering some C. argyrosperma seeds grown at my farm, and some grown nearby, to Going to Seed.

Between the time I planted argyrosperma in 2023 and when I planted for 2024, I discovered that there are argyro varieties that keep much longer and have sweeter flesh than the ones I’d been growing, which are better as summer squash. Commercial seeds sold simply as ‘Green Striped Cushaw’ or ‘White Cushaw’ may have genetics from summer and/or winter types.

I’ve been reading a lot of cushaw seed catalog descriptions. Sometimes you will see clues that a cushaw is probably not a winter squash type like “not a good keeper” or “use by Thanksgiving”. There are some other terms that are not definitive, like “light colored flesh/mild flesh/nutty flesh”.

This is a more useful description in terms of keeping quality from Southern Exposure: “[Grown in s. Illinois since at least the 1830s, including by friends of Abraham Lincoln’s parents.] Long white 15-30 lb. fruits with large curved necks and some green mottled striping. Light yellow flesh has mild, pleasant flavor. Earlier and better keeping than Green-Striped Cushaw.”

I’ve been reading that there are varieties which are mainly valued for their seeds. Campeche is one. “Thick Margin Silver Seed” and “Silver Seed” are two offered by Sandhill Preservation Center in the seed type.

I wonder if anyone else growing C. argyrosperma cushaw and thinking of contributing cushaw seeds this year has any thoughts on the different uses of different varieties. The two fruits I had from the best winter squash type of 2023 was still in good condition when I opened them up in April 2024.

Edited for clarity and length

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I have a wishlist-in-progress of cushaw seeds from catalogs that I have flagged as potentially having good winter squash characteristics. Why not share the list here in the forum?

Sandhill Preservation Center
Possibly the greatest variety of cushaws offered by a single vendor. Some of the most interesting are:

  • Gila Cliff Dweller
  • Gold Striped Cushaw
  • Hopi Cushaw
  • Illinois White Crookneck
  • Japanese Pie
  • Jonathan
  • San Juan Pueblo
  • Winter Vining
  • Woodrey’s Sweet potato

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

Native Seed Search

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WIP: Generalized cushaw gardening calendar for Kentucky

Note: Kentucky is in a temperate climate within USDA zones 6 and 7.

This schedule is still in development. I hope to continue improving it with input from other growers. This may include reworking it so it is less focused on Kentucky and more easily adapted to other climates.

April

  • As needed: prepare and cultivate beds for the cushaw plants

Week 3 or 4

  • If using starts, begin sowing seeds for starts

May

  • As needed: prepare and cultivate beds for the cushaw plants
  • Continue sowing seeds for starts

Week 2 or 3

  • If direct sowing, begin direct sowing

Week 4

  • If using starts, begin transplanting starts into beds once they have two or more true leaves

June

  • Continue planting cushaws.

July

  • Stop planting cushaws for the season.

I don’t have anything fancy for cushaws, just the Orange Striped Cushaw that @DebbieA sent last year and I wasn’t able to get planted, plus a green-striped cushaw and a variety given to me labelled Tennessee Sweet Potato. I used to grow it out, and it was a long-keeping winter type cushaw, nothing spectacular for flavor but neglect-friendly, relatively productive, and very hearty. And the dang thing would climb up into a tree given a chance. Those will be getting free range in the bare space left by contractors taking out some of my sandplum thicket… as thick as they’ll grow and spread, I figure they’ll be a great groundcover until I finalize plans for the space!

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