Days to Maturity: 100 to 105
An organic variety, Butterbaby, a mini butternut winter squash, is grown as a fruit vegetable, producing many uniform, personal-sized tan fruits, approximately 4 to 6 inches long and 3 to 4 inches wide, weighing about 1 pound each, with a mild, sweet flavor.
This herbaceous annual is a member of the cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae) family. It grows as a short, restricted vine with a spreading, trailing habit, trailing along the ground, or climbing by tendrils. Plants are best grown in-ground but can be trained up a trellis to save space. Open pollinated, it produces seed that will grow true to variety, ideal for seed saving. It has intermediate resistance to powdery mildew.
Easily grown from seed, it prefers full sun and fertile, organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained loams with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2. Avoid over watering.
A warm-season vegetable, sensitive to cold temperatures and frost, it can be direct sown into warm spring soil after all danger of frost has passed, but it can also be started indoors about 3 weeks before transplanting. Flowers begin to set fruit with day temperatures between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit and night temperatures between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Protect plants if temperatures are expected to dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Mulching helps to moderate soil temperature and to maintain soil moisture. Row covers offer added protection from heavy frost.
If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.
USDA Certified Organic
Genus | Cucurbita |
Species | moschata |
Variety | Butterbaby Organic |
Item Form | Pack of 100 |
Bloom Start To End | Mid Summer - Mid Fall |
Days To Maturity | 105 |
Fruit Color | Orange |
Habit | Spreading |
Seeds Per Pack | 100 |
Additional Characteristics | Certified Organic, Easy Care Plants, Edible |
Harvest Season | Early Fall, Early Summer, Late Fall, Late Summer, Mid Fall, Mid Summer |
Light Requirements | Full Sun |
Moisture Requirements | Moist, well-drained |
Soil Tolerance | Normal, loamy |
Uses | Beds, Cuisine, Outdoor, Vines and Climbers |