
Fall is around the corner, and that means it's time to start planning your squash garden. These versatile vegetables are perfect for autumn harvests, offering incredible flavor and nutrition when the weather turns crisp. Growing your own squash gives you access to varieties you might never find at the grocery store.
Squash comes in countless shapes, sizes, and flavors-from sweet butternut to nutty acorn and beyond. Each type has unique growing requirements and culinary uses that make them special. Ready to get planting? These 15 popular squash varieties are perfect for your fall garden.
1. Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is the cream of the crop when it comes to fall favorites. This bell-shaped beauty features tan skin and vibrant orange flesh with a sweet, nutty flavor. Butternut plants take about 110-120 days to mature, so plant them in late spring or early summer for a perfect fall harvest. They store exceptionally well, lasting up to three months in cool, dry conditions.
The versatility of butternut squash in the kitchen is unmatched. Roast it, mash it, or blend it into creamy soups that capture the essence of autumn. Its sweet profile makes it perfect for both savory dishes and desserts like pies and quick breads. And don't forget the nutritional punch-butternut is loaded with vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber.
2. Acorn Squash

Acorn squash earns its name from its distinctive acorn-like shape and deep ridges. The dark green exterior (sometimes with orange patches) hides golden-yellow flesh that's slightly sweet and nutty. These compact squashes mature faster than many winter varieties, needing just 80-90 days from planting to harvest. Their manageable size makes them perfect for small gardens and containers.
What makes acorn squash special is its natural bowl shape, creating the perfect vessel for stuffing. Cut them in half, remove the seeds, and fill with savory mixtures of grains, meats, or vegetables for an impressive meal. The skin becomes tender when cooked, so there's no need to peel-simply scoop the flesh right from the shell. Plant these in early summer for a bounty of acorn squash by early fall.
3. Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash stands out with its unique texture-after cooking, the flesh separates into pasta-like strands. This yellow, oblong squash requires 90-100 days to mature and produces abundantly with proper care. The mild flavor makes it an excellent canvas for sauces and seasonings of all kinds. It's also a gardener's delight because the vines are less sprawling than many other squash varieties.
This low-carb pasta alternative has become incredibly popular in recent years. Simply cut in half, remove seeds, and bake until tender. Then use a fork to pull the cooked flesh into those distinctive spaghetti-like strands. Top with marinara sauce for a classic approach or get creative with pestos, cream sauces, or simple herb butter. For best results, harvest when the skin turns yellow and feels hard to the touch.
4. Delicata Squash

Delicata squash, sometimes called "sweet potato squash," features cream-colored skin with distinctive green stripes and ridges. This heirloom variety has made a strong comeback in recent years thanks to its sweet, corn-like flavor and edible skin. With a shorter growing season of just 80-100 days, delicata is perfect for gardeners in regions with shorter summers. The compact vines are also more manageable than many other squash varieties.
The thin skin of delicata means less prep work in the kitchen-no peeling required. Simply slice into rings, remove the seeds, and roast until caramelized for a simple side dish that showcases its natural sweetness. Delicata doesn't store as long as thicker-skinned winter squashes, typically lasting 2-3 months in proper conditions. Harvest when the cream background turns slightly yellow and the skin is too hard to pierce with a fingernail.
5. Hubbard Squash

Hubbard squash makes a statement with its massive size and bumpy, blue-gray, green, or orange exterior. These giants can weigh up to 15 pounds and require significant garden space as they mature over 100-120 days. The sweet, orange flesh inside has a complex flavor that improves with storage. Hubbards are the marathon runners of the squash world, often storing successfully for up to six months when kept in cool, dry conditions.
Breaking into a Hubbard can be challenging due to its hard shell-many gardeners resort to dropping them on concrete or using a saw. But the effort pays off with flesh that's perfect for pies, soups, and roasting. The seeds are particularly large and make excellent roasted snacks. For the home gardener with limited space, look for bush varieties of Hubbard that offer the same great taste with more compact growing habits.
6. Kabocha Squash

Kabocha squash brings Japanese flavor to your fall garden. This squash features a dark green exterior with faint stripes and dry, sweet flesh similar to sweet potato. Kabochas need 85-100 days to mature and produce medium-sized fruits that store well for months. Their compact growth habit makes them suitable for gardens where space might be limited, producing 3-4 fruits per plant under ideal conditions.
The intensely sweet flavor and fluffy texture of kabocha make it perfect for both sweet and savory applications. The flesh holds its shape when cooked, making it excellent for curries, stews, and tempura. In Japan, it's often simmered in dashi broth with soy sauce and sugar for a traditional side dish. Harvest kabocha when the stem begins to dry and crack, and the skin has hardened to the point where you can't dent it with a fingernail.
7. Sugar Pumpkin

Sugar pumpkins are the perfect size for both decoration and eating-much different from their larger carving cousins. These round, orange beauties typically weigh 4-8 pounds and have sweet, fine-grained flesh ideal for cooking. They mature in about 100 days and store well for 2-3 months. Sugar pumpkins require less space than larger pumpkin varieties, making them accessible for average home gardens.
Nothing beats homemade pumpkin pie made from garden-fresh sugar pumpkins. The flesh is less stringy and more flavorful than large carving pumpkins, resulting in smoother, tastier pies and baked goods. To prepare, simply cut in half, remove seeds, and roast until tender. The seeds make a nutritious snack when cleaned, seasoned, and roasted. Harvest when the skin has fully hardened and turned deep orange, leaving a few inches of stem attached to extend storage life.
8. Buttercup Squash

Buttercup squash features a distinctive turban-like cap on its blossom end and dark green skin with light green stripes. The bright orange flesh inside is exceptionally sweet and dense, often compared to sweet potato. These squashes take about 100 days to mature and grow on vigorous vines that benefit from trellising. Each plant typically produces 4-5 squashes weighing 3-5 pounds each.
The dry, sweet flesh of buttercup makes it perfect for steaming, baking, and mashing. Unlike moister squashes, buttercup holds its shape when cooked and doesn't get watery. This quality makes it excellent for casseroles and gratins where texture matters. Its natural sweetness means it needs minimal additions-a little butter and salt are often all that's required. Harvest when the skin turns dark green and the stem begins to dry out.
9. Red Kuri Squash

Red Kuri squash catches the eye with its vivid orange-red skin and teardrop shape. This Japanese variety features smooth, non-stringy flesh with a distinctive chestnut-like flavor. Red Kuri plants mature in about 95 days and produce medium-sized fruits that typically weigh 4-7 pounds. The vines are moderately vigorous but more contained than many winter squash varieties, making them suitable for smaller gardens.
The thin skin of Red Kuri becomes tender when cooked and can be eaten along with the flesh, reducing prep time and waste. Its sweet, nutty flavor pairs wonderfully with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and sage. Red Kuri excels in soups and purées, creating silky-smooth textures without straining. For the best flavor development, cure Red Kuri squash in a warm, sunny spot for two weeks after harvest before storing or consuming.
10. Carnival Squash

Carnival squash brings festive color to your garden with its unique speckled and striped patterns in green, orange, and cream. This hybrid between acorn and sweet dumpling squash features sweet, yellow-orange flesh with a flavor similar to butternut but with nutty undertones. Carnival squash matures in about 85 days and stores well for up to three months. The compact plants produce abundantly, making them excellent value for garden space.
The palm-sized fruits of carnival squash make perfect individual servings when halved and roasted. The edible skin becomes tender with cooking, so no peeling is necessary. Like acorn squash, the natural bowl shape makes carnival perfect for stuffing with grains, meats, or other fillings. Harvest when the skin has hardened completely and the stem begins to dry. The colors will intensify during storage, making them even more attractive.
11. Sweet Dumpling Squash

Sweet dumpling squash delights with its small size and cream-colored skin adorned with green stripes and speckles. These palm-sized squashes have sweet, tender yellow flesh with a corn-like flavor. They mature quickly in just 80-90 days and grow on relatively compact vines that can be managed in smaller gardens. Each plant typically produces 8-10 fruits, making them a productive choice for limited space.
The petite size of sweet dumpling squash makes them perfect for individual servings. Simply cut in half, remove seeds, and bake until tender for an elegant presentation. The skin is thin and becomes tender enough to eat when cooked, eliminating the need for peeling. Their small cavity is ideal for stuffing with savory fillings like quinoa, wild rice, or sausage mixtures. Harvest when the cream background develops a yellow tinge and the skin has hardened.
12. Blue Hubbard Squash

Blue Hubbard squash commands attention with its massive size and distinctive blue-gray warted skin. These giants can weigh 15-40 pounds and require significant garden space as they mature over 110-120 days. The dense orange flesh inside has a complex, sweet flavor that improves with storage. Blue Hubbards are exceptional keepers, often lasting 6-8 months in proper storage conditions, making them true winter squashes.
The hard shell of Blue Hubbard serves as natural packaging, protecting the flesh and extending storage life remarkably well. Once you crack into it (often requiring a hammer or saw), the flesh is perfect for roasting, steaming, or making into pies. Due to their size, many gardeners process and freeze Blue Hubbard in portions for later use. Harvest when the skin has completely hardened and the stem has begun to dry and crack away from the vine.
13. Zucchini

Zucchini might seem like a summer squash, but late plantings can provide bountiful fall harvests too. These cylindrical green squashes mature incredibly quickly-just 45-55 days from planting to first harvest. Unlike winter squashes, zucchini are harvested when immature and tender, usually at 6-8 inches long. The plants are prolific producers, often yielding more than families can consume from just a couple of plants.
For fall harvests, plant zucchini seeds directly in the garden in mid-summer (about 60 days before your first expected frost). The young fruits have delicate flavor and tender skin that doesn't require peeling. They're incredibly versatile in the kitchen-grill them, stuff and bake them, shred them for quick breads, or spiralize them into noodles. Harvest frequently to encourage continued production and prevent fruits from growing too large and tough.
14. Yellow Crookneck Squash

Yellow crookneck squash brings bright color and unique shape to your fall garden. These summer squashes feature golden yellow skin and a distinctive curved neck, hence the name. They mature quickly in just 50-55 days and produce abundantly until frost. Like zucchini, they're harvested young when the skin is still tender and the seeds are undeveloped. The plants are bushy rather than vining, making them suitable for smaller gardens.
For a fall crop, plant yellow crookneck seeds directly in the garden about 8-10 weeks before your first expected frost. The mild, buttery flavor of crookneck squash makes it perfect for simple preparations-sautéed with herbs, grilled with olive oil, or battered and fried Southern-style. Harvest when fruits are 4-6 inches long for the best texture and flavor. The more you harvest, the more the plants will produce, so check daily during peak season.
15. Pattypan Squash

Pattypan squash charms with its flying saucer shape and scalloped edges in shades of white, yellow, or green. These summer squashes mature quickly in just 45-70 days depending on the variety. The compact, bushy plants produce abundantly and take up less space than vining squashes. Pattypans are harvested young when the skin is still tender, typically when they're 2-4 inches in diameter.
For a fall harvest, plant pattypan seeds directly in the garden in mid-summer, about 60 days before your first expected frost. The mild, sweet flesh has a firmer texture than zucchini, helping it hold up well in stir-fries and on the grill. Smaller pattypans can be cooked whole, while larger ones can be hollowed out and stuffed. Their unique shape makes them particularly attractive in garden-to-table presentations. Harvest frequently to encourage continued production.
Planting Your Fall Squash Garden

Now that you've explored these 15 delicious squash varieties, it's time to get planting. Most winter squashes need to be started in early summer to have enough time to mature before frost. Summer squashes like zucchini, crookneck, and pattypan can be planted later for fall harvests. All squash plants love rich, well-draining soil with plenty of compost worked in before planting.
Give vining varieties plenty of space or provide trellising to save garden real estate. Water deeply but infrequently, aiming for the soil rather than the leaves to prevent powdery mildew. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds. When harvest time arrives, cut winter squashes with a few inches of stem attached rather than pulling them from the vine. This small step extends storage life significantly and ensures you'll enjoy your homegrown squash throughout the fall and winter months.