Waltham Butternut Organic Squash Seeds

This 1970 All-America Selections winner continues to dominate the butternut squash market -- and why not?! Who can resist these large, smooth, uniform tan "light bulbs," each packed with dark orange flesh of fine texture and scrumptious flavor? Certainly not us -- which is why we are delighted to offer Waltham as organic seed this season!

Waltham is a winter squash, but one of its great secrets is that it can also be harvested young and eaten like a summer squash -- tender and toothsome, skin and all! When allowed to mature, it reaches about 8 or 9 inches long and up to 4 inches diameter around its plump "bulb end." (Expect it to weigh in at an impressive 4 to 5 pounds.) Cure it after harvest and store it in a cool, dry place -- it stores for several months, lasting nearly through winter from an early fall harvest!

Waltham is "the" name in butternuts, and one bite tells you why. It would be hard to improve upon the fine texture and nutty-sweet flavor of the fruit, and as for the plant, it's easy to grow and very productive, demonstrating superior resistance to vine borers. It's easy to prepare for cooking, too: the tan skin slides away easily with a potato peeler, revealing the bright, vitamin-packed flesh beneath. A small seed cavity gives you a few extra bites from every fruit, too!

Waltham butternut squash was first grown in Waltham, Massachusetts. This American variety never ceases to impress and delight, and we give it our highest recommendation. Grow two crops -- sweet tender summer varieties and larger, meatier winter squashes!

Winter squash has great storage ability. It is grown like summer squash (sown 1 inch deep after all danger of frost), but the seeds should be spaced 4 to 6 feet apart. Harvest it when the plants die back or just before frost. Cut and cure the fruit in a well-ventilated area, then store at 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Pkt is 20 seeds.

Squash/Zucchini Germination Information

• Best sown outdoors after all danger of frost has past in the spring
• Seeds can also be sown indoors, 2-3 weeks before planting out, at a temperature of 70-75°
• Indoors and out, sow seeds 1- 11/4 inch deep and expect germination in 7-10 days
• It is 40-50 days from sowing to harvesting

Cucurbita pepo produces the bushy Summer Squash, Zucchini, and the lesser-known Custard Squashes and Crooknecks. It also produces some of the vining winter squashes that are treated in a separate entry. The types treated here taste best when harvested immature, when the skin is easily pierced with the thumbnail. Pick them when ready in order to keep the vine producing new fruits

Superior Germination Through Superior Science

First of all, we have humidity- and temperature-controlled storage, and we never treat any of our seeds with chemicals or pesticides. Nor do we ever sell GMO's (genetically modified seeds), so you always know the products you're buying from us are natural as well as safe for you and the environment.

Superior Standards - University Inspected

Hand Packed By Experienced Technicians

When packing our seeds, the majority are actually done by hand (with extreme care!), and we often over-pack them, so you're receiving more than the stated quantity.

The Park Seed Gold Standard

Heirloom Seeds are open-pollinated -- they are not hybrids. You can gather and save heirloom seed from year to year and they will grow true to type every year, so they can be passed down through generations. To be considered an heirloom, a variety would have to be at least from the 1940's and 3 generations old (many varieties are much older -- some 100 years or more!).

Hybrid seed are the product of cross-pollination between 2 different parent plants, resulting in a new plant/seed that is different from the parents. Unlike Heirloom seed, hybrid seed need to be re-purchased new every year (and not saved). They usually will not grow true to type if you save them, but will revert to one of the parents they were crossed with and most likely look/taste different in some way.

The ancient Native American technique of growing Corn, Beans, and Squash together in an arrangement called the Three Sisters is the ultimate in companion planting and helps increase harvests, naturally!

Corn acts as a support for climbing bean vines, the beans fix nitrogen in the soil for the high feeding requirements of corn and squash, and the squash provides mulch and root protection for the corn and beans! After cooperating beautifully in the garden, corn and beans form a complete protein when eaten together! How's that for a mutually beneficial relationship?

The Three Sisters are all easy to direct sow in the garden and are a great project for children, teaching them about the beauty of natural harmony while providing a fast-growing reward for their efforts.

Make the best possible use of your garden space this season, and try growing the Three Sisters! Just follow the easy steps listed below, fertilize well, plant other companions like herbs to assist with pest control, and you'll be harvesting your best crop in no time!

In May or June when soil has warmed:

Shape a flat-topped circular mound of soil about a foot high and 2 feet across at the top, sloping outward toward the base. Plant a circle of corn seeds on top, about 5 or 6, and water them in well, tamping down your soil mound firmly so it doesn't wash away in the first rain. Space the mounds 3 or 4 feet apart in the garden.

Since all corn grows on sturdy, dependable stalks, the variety you choose depends on the flavor, disease resistance, and holding ability you want. Sugar Buns is a Sugar Enhanced (SE) yellow hybrid with absolutely scrumptious golden kernels and is positively scrumptious. For SE whites, you can't beat Silver Princess, with extra-long ears bursting with flavor. And for the sweetest ears yet, you absolutely must try Corn Mirai, available in Yellow, White, Bicolor, and even a Mini!

About two weeks later:

When your corn reaches about 5 or 6 inches high, plant Bean seeds (6 to 8 of them) around the edges of the flat top or about halfway down the sloping sides of the circular mound. Push the seeds down deep into the soil and, if you're planting on the slope, make sure the soil is nice and firm. Add a bit of Nature's Aid at planting time to help the Beans fix nitrogen.

To get your Beans to climb up the cornstalks, choose Pole rather than Bush varieties. Smeraldo is far and away the best-tasting Pole Bean, with flat pods up to 10 inches long on vigorous 4- to 6-foot vines. Park gardeners rave about Kwintus, a super-early performer with succulent pods on stringless 8- to 10-inch pods. And is the classic name in Beans, with top-quality dark green pods that are both stringless and fiberless, even if you pick them a bit late. We even have Blue Lake available in organic seed!

One week or so after that:

Plant Squash seeds around the base of the mound, on flat ground. You can make them radiate around the mound, or just go in the direction you have available space! 6 to 8 seeds in a ring around the base of the mound is usually plenty.

The traditional Squash family member for this Sister is Pumpkin, with its all-American flavor and long growing season. For a quicker harvest, grow Summer Squash varieties such as organic Early Summer Crookneck or Zucchini such as space-saving Eight Ball Hybrid.

When everything begins growing...

Thin the plantings to 2 or 3 Corn stalks, each with no more than 2 Bean plants winding around it. (You'll need to help the Beans get started growing up the stalks). The Squash is going to vine along the ground, so the number of plants you need depends on how far apart your mounds of corn and beans are, how long the vines get, and how much walking space you need in the garden.

Add a FOURTH sister: Sunflowers!

Sunflowers attract birds, thus tempting them away from your corn plants. They shade the vining bean plants while also adding support. Plus, they're beautiful! It's a win-win situation!