With a delicate, mild flavor, much akin to zucchini, the patty pan squash, also referred to as the scallop squash, is a small variety of summer squash. Lesser known than its relatives, yellow squash or zucchini, patty pans have a distinct shape which some people describe as similar to a flying saucer. These little flying saucer shaped fruits may be white, green, or buttery yellow in color and are round and flat with a scalloped edge, hence the name. The fun shape of the fruit growing on patty pan squash plants may also be an enticement to getting the kids to eat their veggies. They can begin being eaten when only an inch or two (2.5-5 cm.) across, making them even more entertaining to kids' taste buds. In fact, scallop squash are not as moist as crooknecks or zucchini and should be harvested when young and tender.
Patty pan squash resembles a flying saucer.
Growing Summer Squash with so many fruits, from Seed in Containers or growbags (Patty Pan Squash)
Understanding Summer Squash
The name summer squash is used to describe squashes that have a thin, edible skin. Yes! These are summer squash with tender, edible skin. Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family; interestingly, zucchini, yellow squash, crookneck, and pattypan are all the same genus and species. The skin and seeds of these squash are edible. Their tender flesh has a high water content, mild flavor, and cook up quickly. Summer squash is a good source of folate, potassium, and vitamins C and B6. Unpeeled squash can be high in vitamin A as well.
Zucchini are usually green in color, however cultivars offer a range of colors, from yellow to a green so dark it almost looks black. Zucchini cultivars can even be found with skin that is striped. ‘Caserta’ is an average-sized variety for zucchini squash that reaches between 5 and 6 inches long. ‘Cocozelle’ is quite long, reaching 14 to 16 inches in length. Yellow squash resembles zucchini squash except it has skin that is pale yellow in color. These come in two varieties, straight neck (which has a fat bottom that slims to a tapered neck) and crookneck. Crookneck squash are distinguished by their shape; the squash tapers from a bulbous blossom end to a curved, narrow stem end. Pattypan is a small squash that has a round, shallow shape and scalloped edges. This interesting-looking squash is as delicious as it is eye catching.
How to Care For Scallop Squash
Scallop squash or patty pans should be grown in full sun, in rich, well-draining soil. Like most vegetables, patty pan squash needs at least six hours of sun each day. Patty pan squash grows best in sandy, fertile soil. Work two to three inches of compost into the soil where you want to plant the squash to improve the fertility and drainage of the soil. Pattypan squash is simple to grow as long as you provide the plants with the proper water and nutrition. Cucurbits prefer full sun. Full sun produces the healthiest pattypan plants. Once the danger of frost has passed in your area, these little squash can be directly sown into the garden.
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Planting
Plant patty pan squash in hills. The hills should be two feet in diameter and four inches apart. Plant four or five seeds one inch deep and four inches apart on each hill. Seeds germinate in seven to ten days. Sow 4 to 5 seeds per hill. Plant seeds or containerized transplants (transplants that have developed mature roots) in your garden. Four to six plants is generally able to produce enough fruit to feed a family of four. They are usually planted in groups with two or three seeds per hill and spaced 2 to 3 feet (61-91 cm.) apart. Summer squash should be planted in an area that gets full sun in rows that are spaced three feet apart. Within each row, plants should be given two feet of space between each plant. Seeds should be planted an inch to an inch and a half deep in the soil.
- Soil: pH between 5.8 and 6.8.
- Germination: Germinates best at 95 F. - Should germinate in less than a week with soil temperature of 70 F and adequate moisture.
- Spacing: Give them plenty of room to grow like any squash; their vines spread 4 to 6 feet (1-2 m.).
Watering and Fertilizing
The squash plants need daily watering until the seedlings are six inches tall. Water one inch a week all at once after that. In the heat of the summer, it may be necessary to water twice a week. Plants need lots of water to grow their large leaves and produce healthy fruit. Drip irrigation helps minimize potential for fungal diseases. Since pattypan foliage is prone to numerous fungal diseases, drip irrigation is the best watering method. You can install a drip irrigation system using headers and drip tape or lay a soaker hose near the base of your plants. Keep the squash watered well.
Before planting your squash, scatter two to three tablespoons full of a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 on each hill and work it into the first two to three inches of soil. When the first blooms appear, scatter two tablespoons of fertilizer around each hill. Do not let the fertilizer touch the plant or it will burn it. Pattypan squash is simple to grow as long as you provide the plants with the proper water and nutrition.
To boost soil nutrients, consider a balanced granular fertilizer before planting. These squash benefit from a moderate amount of nutrients and they love organic matter. Healthy soils may not require any fertilizing additions throughout the growing season. If you feel your soil is lacking nutrients, apply a balanced granular fertilizer before you plant. Adding a few generous scoops of compost to your garden bed before planting will help keep your squash plants happy.
Maintaining
Weeds steal nutrients, water, and sunlight from your garden. Remove weeds as soon as they appear. Mulch around the plant’s base to prevent weeds and a barrier under fruits. Expect to spend little time maintaining these plants. Mulching around their base while they’re young will limit weeds and prevent the fruits from sitting directly on the soil, but it isn’t necessary. Pattypan plants rarely require pruning, but you can move any discolored or diseased leaves.
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Pollination
Like all cucurbits, summer squash have male and female flowers separated but on the same plant. Pollination by insects or by hand is necessary for fruit to set.
Scallop Squash Varieties
There are both open-pollinated, those pollinated via insects or wind, and hybrid varieties of scallop squash available. Hybrid varieties are bred to insure that the seeds have known specific traits while open-pollinated varieties are fertilized via an uncontrolled source, which may result in a plant that doesn't breed true. That said, there are some open pollinators that result in true plants from generation to generation and we call them heirloom varieties. The choice to grow heirloom or hybrid is yours.
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Pests and Diseases
Patty pan squash are vulnerable to fungal diseases. Inspect your plants at least once a week. If you see spots on the plant, use a fungicide to treat the spots. Squash are vulnerable to several pests. Pattypan squash faces similar challenges as other summer squash plants. To protect the bees that are so important for fruit set, avoid spraying for insect pests.
- Squash bug: Squash bugs (Anasa tristis) are, unfortunately, common pests on all types of cucurbits, including pattypan squash. These brown, shield-shaped bugs suck plant sap, weakening the plants in the process. Excluding squash bugs from young plants is one of the best ways to protect them. Add wire hoops over the plants then cover them with a lightweight row cover or piece of insect netting. If you spot the adults or nymphs, you can squish them or spray them with neem oil.
- Squash vine borer: Watch out for the larvae of the squash vine borer. This hated pest can quickly destroy pattypan squash. The adults lay single eggs near the base of the base of the plants, and the larvae enter in the stem. They then feed on the inside of the stem, leading to a quick collapse of the entire plant. Like with squash bugs, you can physically exclude the adult moths with row cover.
- Cucumber beetles: The adult beetle is about 1/4 inch long with a yellow body and black spots or stripes on it. The larva is 3/4 inch long and cream. The larva feeds on roots while the adults feed on the foliage. Adult cucumber beetles can strip a plant of its leaves if there are many beetles present. They are especially damaging to young seedlings, which don’t have much foliage to spare. Mulch around the squash plants to discourage the cucumber beetle from laying eggs.
- Powdery mildew: Wet foliage increases risk of powdery mildew. A fine, white substance covering your plants’ leaves indicates the fungal disease powdery mildew. Although powdery mildew won’t severely harm your plants directly, it will limit photosynthesis rates and lead to plant decline. Providing excellent air flow, avoiding overhead watering, providing the proper nutrients, and choosing resistant varieties can help prevent powdery mildew.
Harvesting
Summer squash takes between 40 and 50 days to produce fruit ready for harvest. Plants are prolific and will produce several dozen squash each. Within days of flowering, it is very likely that you will have fruit that is sizeable enough to harvest. Harvest the patty pan squash when it is two to three inches across. If it gets much bigger, it gets tough and fibrous. You can harvest the fruits at any size, but most people find a good combination of flavor and storage life when they’re about three inches in diameter. Patty pans can grow to 7 inches (18 cm.) across but get rather tough the larger they get. Harvest any squash that is large enough every other day during the summer to keep the squash producing. It’s best to harvest your fruits by cutting the stem to a point where the fruit is left with an inch or two of intact stem. This will help your squash store longer. Be aware that you may want to wear gloves while harvesting your squash as stems can have sharp spines that may irritate skin.
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