When to Plant Squash (winter)
veg · tender · ~95 days to harvest
Planting time for squash (winter) is set by your frost dates, not by the calendar month. Start seeds indoors about 3 weeks before your last spring frost, then transplant about 2 weeks after it. From there it takes roughly 95 days to the first harvest. Squash (winter) is a tender crop, and a single light frost ends it, so both ends of its season are hard boundaries. Pick your zone below for exact dates, or find your zone by ZIP if you are not sure which one you are in.
When to plant squash (winter) by zone
| Zone | Last frost | Start indoors | In the ground | Spring harvest | Fall sow-by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | May 15 | Apr 24 | May 29 | Sep 1 | — |
| Zone 3b | May 13 | Apr 22 | May 27 | Aug 30 | — |
| Zone 4a | May 10 | Apr 19 | May 24 | Aug 27 | — |
| Zone 4b | May 5 | Apr 14 | May 19 | Aug 22 | — |
| Zone 5a | Apr 30 | Apr 9 | May 14 | Aug 17 | — |
| Zone 5b | Apr 25 | Apr 4 | May 9 | Aug 12 | — |
| Zone 6a | Apr 20 | Mar 30 | May 4 | Aug 7 | — |
| Zone 6b | Apr 15 | Mar 25 | Apr 29 | Aug 2 | — |
| Zone 7a | Apr 10 | Mar 20 | Apr 24 | Jul 28 | — |
| Zone 7b | Apr 3 | Mar 13 | Apr 17 | Jul 21 | — |
| Zone 8a | Mar 25 | Mar 4 | Apr 8 | Jul 12 | — |
| Zone 8b | Mar 15 | Feb 22 | Mar 29 | Jul 2 | — |
| Zone 9a | Mar 1 | Feb 8 | Mar 15 | Jun 18 | — |
| Zone 9b | Feb 15 | Jan 25 | Mar 1 | Jun 4 | — |
| Zone 10a | Jan 31 | Jan 10 | Feb 14 | May 20 | — |
| Zone 10b | Jan 15 | Dec 25 | Jan 29 | May 4 | — |
| Zone 11a | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | May 7 | Oct onward |
| Zone 11b | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | May 7 | Oct onward |
| Zone 12a | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | May 7 | Oct onward |
| Zone 12b | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | May 7 | Oct onward |
| Zone 13a | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | May 7 | Oct onward |
| Zone 13b | none | Feb 1 | Feb 1 | May 7 | Oct onward |
Dates use the representative frost window for each zone. Your own ZIP will differ by a week or two: look it up here.
Planting squash (winter) in fall
Winter squash needs too many days to maturity for a second planting outside the tropics.
For the whole-garden version of this arithmetic, see the fall planting calendar by zone, and how to read and stretch your first frost date.
When to plant squash (winter) in 12 US cities
These use each city's own NOAA frost dates rather than its zone average, which is why two cities in the same zone can differ by a week or more. Texas alone spans a wide range: in Houston (Zone 9a) squash (winter) goes in around Feb 27 in spring; in Dallas (Zone 8a) squash (winter) goes in around Mar 22 in spring.
| City | Zone | Last frost | In the ground (spring) | Fall sow-by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 7b | Mar 30 | Apr 13 | — |
| Los Angeles, CA | 10b | none | Feb onward (warm season) | — |
| Chicago, IL | 6a | Apr 16 | Apr 30 | — |
| Houston, TX | 9a | Feb 13 | Feb 27 | — |
| Phoenix, AZ | 9b | none | Feb onward (warm season) | — |
| Philadelphia, PA | 7b | Apr 2 | Apr 16 | — |
| Atlanta, GA | 8a | Mar 15 | Mar 29 | — |
| Dallas, TX | 8a | Mar 8 | Mar 22 | — |
| Denver, CO | 6a | May 5 | May 19 | — |
| Seattle, WA | 8b | Mar 2 | Mar 16 | — |
| Minneapolis, MN | 4b | Apr 23 | May 7 | — |
| Miami, FL | 11a | none | Feb onward (warm season) | — |
What to plant with squash (winter)
Squash (winter) grows well next to corn, beans (bush) and radishes. Keep it away from potatoes. A sprawling cucurbit, same space competition as zucchini. The full grid for all 24 crops is in the companion planting chart.
Squash (winter) zone pages
More on growing squash (winter)
- When to start seeds indoors by zone
Indoor start dates for squash (winter), counted back from your last frost.
- Hardening off seedlings: a schedule
A day by day plan for moving squash (winter) seedlings outdoors.
- Best grow lights for seed starting
What light seedlings actually need, and which fixtures deliver it.
- Seed-starting setup: what you actually need
Trays, mix, heat and light for starting squash (winter) indoors.
- Companion planting chart
What to plant with squash (winter) and what to keep away from it.
Frequently asked questions
When can I plant squash (winter)?
As soon as your zone's last frost has passed and the soil has warmed. Zone 5b: May 9; Zone 6b: Apr 29; Zone 7b: Apr 17; Zone 8b: Mar 29. Start seeds indoors 3 weeks before your last frost.
How long does squash (winter) take to grow?
About 95 days from transplant or sowing to harvest.
Is squash (winter) frost-hardy?
Squash (winter) is a tender crop. Wait until after the last frost to plant outdoors.
Can you plant squash (winter) in the fall?
No. Winter squash needs too many days to maturity for a second planting outside the tropics.
What is the latest I can plant squash (winter)?
Squash (winter) has to go in early enough to finish before your first frost, so the last useful planting is the spring or early summer one for your zone.