Climbing Honey Nut

BEST TO START OUTDOORS

Honey Nuts need full sun, rich fertile soil and warm temperatures. Wait to plant until nights are comfortably above 50°F (10°C) both day and night. Sow groups of 2 to 3 seeds 2 ft. apart and 1 in. deep in rows 4 ft. apart. Thin to 1 strong seedling per group to give vines room to ramble or climb. Or make slightly mounded hills 2 to 3 ft. across and 6 ft. apart and plant 4 to 5 seeds in each hill. When seedlings have several sets of leaves, thin to the strongest 3 seedlings per hill.

GROWING NOTES

Protect young seedlings from marauding birds by covering with plastic berry baskets at sowing time, removing before plants get crowded. To save space, and make picking easy, Honey Nut vines can easily be trained up fences, trellises or 4-6 foot tall teepees.

HARVEST AND USE

These delicious little squashes need to mature properly, so don’t harvest until vines have died back and squashes’ exterior rinds are fully colored up from dark green to orangey-tan and tough enough to resist piercing with a fingernail. Then cut squashes from vines, leaving a good stem handle. Let squashes cure in the sun for about 10 days, then store in a cool dry place and they’ll keep for months. In the kitchen, cut Honey Nuts in half then bake until tender. Flesh is meltingly sweet and delicious.