Waltham Butternut Winter Squash Seeds - open-pollinated

Bring rich, sweet winter flavor to your garden with Waltham Butternut, an open-pollinated squash known for its tan, bell-shaped fruit and firm orange flesh. The vigorous vines produce an abundant harvest for roasting, baking, soups, and cool-weather meals, and mature squash can be cured for winter storage.

At a glance

• Variety: Waltham Butternut winter squash
• Days to maturity: 85–90 days
• Seed count: Approximately 380 seeds per ounce
• Available sizes: 10-seed packet, 25-seed packet, 100 seeds, 1 oz, ¼ lb, and 1 lb
• Pollination: Open-pollinated

Start and plant

For an earlier start, sow two seeds per peat pot indoors about one month before your last expected frost. Thin to the stronger seedling, harden plants off before transplanting, and protect young plants from cold. Choose a sunny spot with fertile soil and room for the vines to grow. Avoid planting near potatoes.

Care through the season

Keep soil consistently moist while avoiding wet foliage. Mulch around the plants to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and keep developing squash clean. The source listing notes resistance to squash borers; monitor plants regularly for pests and signs of stress.

Harvest and store

Harvest mature squash before frost, when the stem begins to dry and the rind is hard to pierce. Cut with a sharp knife and leave a 2–3 inch stem; lift the fruit rather than carrying it by the stem. Cure in a sunny or dry place until the stem shrivels. Keep the rind dry for storage. Waltham Butternut can also be picked young and used as summer squash.

In the kitchen

Its smooth, sweet orange flesh is delicious roasted or baked, and makes a satisfying base for soups and savory dishes. Grow a few vines and enjoy the harvest fresh, then save mature fruit for meals through the colder months.