Mulch the squash

Squash have fairly deep roots and tolerate lack of watering. However, a prolonged drought harms the good development of the fruits. Putting in place a good mulch will allow both to maintain the heat of the soil or to delay its warming, to fight against weeds, to reduce evaporation but also to isolate the fruits from direct contact with the soil.

Squash mulch period

Before sowing if installation of a mulch film, after the second pinching for a vegetable mulch.

How to mulch the squash?

The most widely used and effective method is black polyethylene film. Not very environmentally friendly, since it is made from petroleum, it can advantageously be replaced by a biodegradable starch-based film. The double interest of these black films is to warm the soil at the start of the crop because the squash needs a lot of heat and to prevent the growth of weeds.

• Spread the film in line throughout the crop before sowing. Openings will be made at the location of the seed pockets.
• Sow the seeds, thin out then cultivate without worrying about the mulch film which will decompose on its own in the soil (provided you do not use polyethylene).

In the case of the installation of a vegetable mulch (mowing residues, straw):

• Install mulch as soon as the stems begin to crawl directly at the base of the plant.
• Overflow widely on the periphery because creeping varieties tend to spread (at least 2.5 m).
• Add a layer of straw during cultivation if necessary.