Seeds Spaghetti squash - Cucurbita pepo

Spaghetti squash - Cucurbita pepo 'Spaghetti'

Origins and characteristics

Native to Central America, this variety belongs to the species Cucurbita pepo, like zucchini and pumpkin. It is grown for its unique flesh, with a texture very different from other squashes, which separates into strands when cooked. It is an excellent plant-based alternative to traditional pasta.

Description and particularities

The plant is vining, but less vigorous than many other squashes. It produces oblong fruits with a pale yellow to cream skin, weighing 2 to 4 kg each. The flesh is firm when raw, but becomes tender and stringy after cooking, visually and texturally resembling spaghetti.

• Habit: Vining, not overly invasive
• Fruit weight: 2 to 4 kg
• Skin: Pale yellow to cream
• Flesh: Light yellow, stringy after cooking
• Culinary use: Pasta substitute, with pesto, in gratins, stuffed
• Storage: Very good (several months in a cool, dry place)

Sowing and cultivation

• Sowing period :

• Under cover: April
• In open ground: May to June (warm soil)

• Depth: 2 to 3 cm
• Spacing: 1 m between plants, 1.20 to 1.50 m between rows
• Exposure: Full sun
• Soil: Rich, loose, humus-rich, well-drained
• Germination: 6 to 10 days at 18–22 °C

Flowering and harvest

• Flowering: June to August (male flowers first, then female)
• Pollination: By insects (bees, bumblebees)
• Harvest period: August to October, when the skin becomes hard and no longer dents with a fingernail
• Harvest before the first frosts

Watering and care

• Regular watering at the base, avoiding wetting the leaves
• Mulching recommended to reduce evaporation
• Light hoeing at the beginning to aerate the soil
• Add compost or well-rotted manure at planting

Culinary use

• Stringy flesh after cooking (30 to 45 min in water, steam or oven)
• Delicious with pasta sauces, pesto, in gratins or stuffed
• Low in calories, high in fibre: ideal for light or vegetarian cooking
• Pairs well with fresh herbs, tomatoes, cheeses, mushrooms

Variety advantages

• Original and fun, perfect for diversifying recipes
• Easy to grow, even in small gardens
• Good winter storage
• Productive plant requiring little maintenance

Cultivation tips

• Sow in clusters of 2–3 seeds, keeping only one plant per spot
• Avoid excessive watering at the end of the season to improve storage
• In cool climates: sow under cover and transplant after the last frosts
• Can be trained on a sturdy support to save space

Cucurbita pepo 'Spaghetti', or spaghetti squash, is an easy and surprising vegetable plant that combines visual appeal, culinary interest and good productivity. Its unique stringy flesh makes it a healthy alternative to pasta, bringing diversity and originality to the garden.