Squash Predates Corn as Domesticated Crop 
Posted By Hilda M. Morrill
September 6, 2010

According to the National Garden Bureau, "squash was one of the first crops grown in the prehistory of the New World." Our earliest physical evidence comes from the Ocampo caves in Tamaulipas, Mexico, where several species of squash have been found along with the remains of gourds, jack beans, and other crops. These remains date to about 7000-5000 B.C.

The National Garden Bureau found the earliest use of squash was by the Cochise Indians in what is now the southwestern United States. Remains of domesticated squash dating to about 4000 B.C. were found at Bat Cave, New Mexico, along with the remains of pod corn, a primitive ancestor of what we know today as corn. This is strong evidence that squash predates corn as a domesticated crop.

For centuries after the introduction of agriculture into North America, farming was practiced primarily by Indian tribes of the Southwest, and the base of their agriculture was corn and squash. About 300-500 A.D. beans were introduced into the technology, and the farming of corn, bean and squash, by a tribe called the Anasazi, marked the beginning of a new era of prosperity. Squash is not only one of the oldest of the New World crops, it also became almost universally grown.

In 1276 a major drought began in the Southwest that would last until 1299. The drought caused a migration of the southwestern tribes to the south and southeast. With the migration went the knowledge of their farming technology. By the time the Europeans arrived in 1492, variations of the corn/bean/squash technology were seen wherever corn was grown. The early settlers survived because they gained this knowledge from the Indians.

Research conducted by the National Garden Bureau found the reason why these three crops were so often grown in one plot. As the corn, bean and squash technology evolved among the Indians, they came to practice a very effective polycultural technique. The corn stalk provided a pole for the beans, and the squash was grown as a ground cover. The squash provided food, but it also helped control weeds, provided kindling for cooking, and produced a good organic mulch.

The knowledge of squash seems to have entered the written records of Europe late in the 16th century. We can surmise that many settlers recorded their knowledge of this and other New World plants in their private diaries and letters sent home.

But for the formal introduction of the plants we can look to one Thomas Hariot, a mathematician, who accompanied an expedition financed by Sir Walter Raleigh. Mr. Hariot returned to England with samples of squash and knowledge of its use learned from the Indians. In 1588, Hariot published a report that was described as the first book in English devoted to the flora and fauna of what is now the United States. Cucurbita pepo was included in the 1633 edition of Gerard's Herbal.

The 21st century home gardener would easily recognize today's squash from this vivid Elizabethan description. "The great long Pompion which bringeth forth thicke and rough prickly stalkes, which with their clasping tendrils take hold upon such things as are neere unto them... the floures be very great like unto a bell cup, of a yellow colour like gold, having five corners standing out like teeth... the fruite is great, thick, round, set with thick ribbes, like edges sticking forth."

Nomenclature

Squash is a member of the family Cucurbitacea, which includes some 90 genera and 700 species of plants. They are described as tendril climbing herbs from the tropic and temperate zones, grown for the edible fruits and for ornament. In addition to squash and pumpkins, the cucurbit family includes such familiar plants as cucumbers, melons and gourds, as well as hundreds of lesser-known herbs. Three species, C.maxima, C.moschata, and C.pepo, all contain varieties listed as squash. Squashes are commonly designated as "summer" or "winter." While most of the summer squash are from C.pepo, the winter squash occur in all three species.

Classification

Summer squash is grown and harvested during the summer. The squash grows on plants that are fairly narrow at base, widening to about 3-51/2 feet across at the top. Their leaves are generally long, lobed, serrated at the edges, and dark green or green mottled with silver. Summer squash is sown and harvested when soil and air temperatures are warm. Its flavor is best when picked and eaten at its immature stage; that is, before the seeds are fully developed and while the outer skin is still soft and tender.

Winter squash grows most often on big, vigorous vines or on a semi-bush. Leaves of the winter squash often exceed 15 inches or more in length and width, are generally round and may be matte or glossy-surfaced. Winter squash has an assortment of fruit size and shapes. They may be spherical, oval, or acorn shaped. The skin can be smooth, warty, or grooved and the color varies from white, yellow or orange to green, blue or black. Winter squash needs warm weather for germination and fruit set, but requires cool nights as it reaches maturity. This is necessary for sugar to accumulate and produce the sweet flavor winter squash is known for. These varieties require a longer growing season and are harvested when fruits are mature with fully developed seeds and a hard rind.

Pollination

Gardeners sometimes wonder why many squash flowers do not set fruit. Separate male and female flowers are produced on the same plant or vine, but only the female flowers bear fruit. Female flowers grow on short stalks and have a bulge, the miniature squash, below the petals. Bees serve as the primary means of pollinating the female flowers.

Harvest

Summer squash is harvested at an immature stage when the seeds are small and the skin is tender. One test of tenderness is to pierce the skin of the vegetable with your thumbnail. If the skin breaks easily, the fruit is still tender. Squash can be picked any time. Many gardeners prefer the baby or miniature size squash, which is harvested with the blossoms still on the fruit. If the fruit is picked frequently the plant will be encouraged to continue production. It's easy to miss young fruit hidden by the large leaves. Walk through your patch every few days and lift leaves to see what has been hidden. Some gardeners prefer yellow or white squash since they are easier to spot amid the green foliage. Should summer squash become large however, all is not lost. If the squash is cut in half lengthwise, and the seeds removed, the fruit can be baked. Summer squash can be kept in the refrigerator for five days, if put in a moisture proof container or plastic wrap.

Winter squash is ready for harvesting when the skin is hard and resists thumbnail pressure. Cut stems 1 or 2 inches from the end of the fruit. Twisting or pulling squash from the vine may break open the fruit and make it easier to decay. Usually squash should be picked prior to the first frost. Squash can also be harvested after the first light frost has killed the foliage; squash can even recover quite well from light frost damage to the fruit, which cause small water soaked spots to appear. If the squash has been subjected to temperatures below 50ºF for two weeks, the squash may break down and rot in a few weeks.

Does winter squash need to be cured before storage?

Some sources say winter squashes can be cured to dry and harden their shells completely before they are stored. Also, curing speeds the conversion of starches to sugars, improving the eating quality. Winter squashes that can be cured are butternut, delicious, and hubbard. Acorn types are not recommended for curing. To cure, put squash in a warm, (75-80ºF) well-ventilated place, such as near a furnace or wood stove, or on a sunny, enclosed porch for a week or two. One expert says the higher temperature curing process can be skipped if you can keep a long-term storage temperature of 50-55ºF. Curing also can reduce storage life. Another source recommends picking the squash only when the rinds are well hardened and storing it in a dry, moderately warm place, such as on shelves in a dry basement that has a furnace.

Storage Techniques

The National Garden Bureau recommends storing winter squash at 50-55ºF with humidity of 50 to 75 percent. The storage location should have good air circulation, a uniform temperature and humidity. Under good storage conditions, gardeners can expect acorn squash to store ten to fifteen weeks. Other winter squashes can last up to six months in storage.

(We thank the National Garden Bureau for this most informative article [edited] and for the accompanying image.)