Butternut Squash organic seeds

The Butternut Squash is a trailing variety originating from the United States, developed in the 1940s by Charles Leggett, a farmer from Massachusetts. It stands out with its pear-shaped fruits, beige skin, and light yellow, fine, and melting flesh. Its delicately musky flavour appeals to both raw food enthusiasts and cooked dish lovers. It is versatile and can be consumed raw in salads, grated, or cooked in veloutés, soufflés, gratins, fries, and many other recipes.

This 'Butternut' squash with a generous yield produces between 4 and 7 fruits per plant, each weighing from 1.5 to 3 kg. Sow from April to June, directly in open ground or under shelter depending on the climatic conditions. Harvest from September to October, when the fruits have reached full ripeness and the stalk starts to dry out. Suited for sunny vegetable gardens, the 'Butternut' combines aesthetics and flavour: it is a must-have for the kitchen garden and cooking.

Squashes, whether orange, green, red, yellow, black, or even blue, smooth, ribbed, or warty, offer an incredible diversity of shapes, colours, and sizes. This variability is explained by their great ease of hybridisation, which has given rise to a multitude of varieties. The term winter squashes refers to pumpkins, potimarrons and other varieties with tough skin and delicately sweet flesh.

Originally from America and introduced to Europe in the 16th century, squashes belong to the cucurbitaceae family. These plants, often trailing, cling to supports thanks to their tendrils. Female flowers, recognisable by their ovary beneath the corolla, differ from male flowers, often harvested after pollination to be consumed stuffed or in fritters. Low in calories, squashes are rich in provitamin A, B vitamins, and minerals. They can be consumed sautéed, fried, in gratins, soups, or stuffed, and their sweet flesh lends itself to many culinary preparations.

For harvesting, squashes should be picked when ripe, unless there is a risk of rot. They can finish ripening indoors if necessary. Winter squashes, with their thick skin, can be stored for several months in a dry, warm place, without the need for dark storage. Their round and decorative silhouette can even enhance a kitchen corner.

To protect the fruits from moisture, it is advisable to place a tile or slate under each squash. These plants appreciate slightly moist soils, so it is wise to mulch around the plants, especially in summer. Finally, to prevent powdery mildew, a common fungal disease, it is important to avoid watering the leaves. In terms of vegetable garden associations, squashes pair well with Alliums like chives or onions, as well as with legumes like beans or peas. However, it is best not to grow them near cucumbers, as these two crops can interfere with each other.

Organic or "AB" seeds come from plants grown in organic agriculture (without the use of phytosanitary products). They undergo no treatment after harvest. These seeds are suitable for organic market gardening.