Growing Butternut squash

GROW YOUR OWN BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Butternut Squash are wonderful vegetables, with solid orange flesh, that can be roasted in the oven or cooked and mashed with potato.Butternut is one of many different kinds of winter squash which is very high in vitamin A. You will also get potassium, vitamin C, manganese and a large dose of fiber. They are all relatively easy to grow from seed.They can be can be sown outdoors in the spot where they are to grow, or you can start them off indoors in pots.Go through the steps given below and grow this nutrition filled vegetable in your own garden.

Sowing And Planting

• Butternut squash need warm soil to germinate so you are better off starting seeds indoors, though you can also direct seed outside once the weather warms up.
• Plant your seeds in larger (3″) seed pots rather than flats, with the seeds about an inch under the soil. You can plant 2 or 3 in each pot, to transplant together in hills. Keep your pots somewhere sunny and warm. Get them started around 3 weeks before your last frost date.Your seedlings should go out about 2 weeks after your last frost has passed.
• Dig your soil to prepare for planting and add fertilizer or compost. Choose a location that will have full sun and allow a lot of space for the vines. Each hill should have 3 feet of space around it.
• If you are putting seeds straight into the garden, you’ll be planting them at the same time as you would put out the transplants. 
• They will not germinate or sprout in cold soils. Plant 4 or 5 seeds in a small hill, and thin down to 2 or 3 after they have sprouted.Keep the soil constantly moist by watering around the plants, not over them as they need plenty of water.Squash bears both male and female flowers. 
• The female flowers are easy to identify by looking for a tiny squash below the blossoms. Male flowers are borne atop a bare stem and often drop to the ground at the end of their life.

Harvesting And storage

• Depending on the variety of butternut squash you plant it can take between 85 and 110 days for this type of squash to grow and mature.
• Once mature the skin of the butternut squash will harden and turn a deep uniform tan color.
• Once mature the best way to remove butternut squash from the vine is to use a sharp knife to cut the stem from the vine. 
• When cutting it's best to leave about two inches of stem still attached to the squash. After removing butternut squash from the vine you will need to let the squash cure before you store it. 
• To cure butternut squash simply leave it out at room temperature for one to two weeks to toughen the skin. Once you have cured your butternut squash store it in a cool dark place. 
• Stored properly butternut squash can last from 3 to 6 months.

Few Health Benefits Of Butternut Squash

• Carotenoids-Butternut squash is one of the best sources of four carotenoids: alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin.
• Fiber-Butternut squash contains soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to digested food, which helps it travel through the digestive tract and prevents constipation.oluble fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates, which prevents large spikes in blood sugar after you eat.
• Weight Loss Potential-Butternut squash is low in calories, with just 82 calories per 1-cup serving, and contains no fat.Electrolytes-Butternut squash delivers three important electrolytes: potassium, magnesium and calcium. Potassium initiates the electrical impulses that regulate your heartbeat and works with sodium to stimulate muscle contraction. Magnesium and calcium work opposite each other; magnesium relaxes cardiovascular muscles, while calcium stimulates their contraction.

                

Butternut Squash And White Bean soup Recipe

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 large shallot, chopped 
• 1 small butternut squash (2-2.5 pounds), peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2-1 cup frozen spinach 
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• Salt to taste (less if the chicken broth is highly salted) 
• 2-3 pinches Meyer lemon zest
• White pepper 
• A little Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (optional)      

Directions

• Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add a glug of olive oil and the shallot, and saute for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the squash and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and bay leaf, and saute for a couple minutes more.
• Pour in the chicken broth, stir once, and cover the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 12-20 minutes (depending on how big your cubes are), until the squash is just tender. Add the spinach and the beans, return the soup to a simmer, and cook for about three minutes more.
• Add salt and lemon zest to taste (there's enough salt when the broth tastes flavorful, and there's enough lemon zest when you can taste just a hint of it). Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with white pepper, and grate just a very little cheese over the top if desired.