Whole and cut Buen Gusto de Horno Winter Squash at the Baker Creek trail farm in California.
Woman holding a Buen Gusto de Horno Winter Squash in the autumn sun. Image by Lucy Hutchins.
A Baker creek employee holding a Buen Gusto de Horno Winter Squash in the field.
Whole and cut Buen Gusto de Horno Winter Squash at the Baker Creek trail farm in California.
Woman holding a Buen Gusto de Horno Winter Squash in the autumn sun. Image by Lucy Hutchins.
A Baker creek employee holding a Buen Gusto de Horno Winter Squash in the field.

Winter Squash Seeds,
Buen Gusto de Horno

4.58 ReviewsSKU: #SQ278Min. seed count: 15
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Description

(Cucurbita maxima). Here’s a gorgeous and superbly flavorful squash from Spain! The name, translated from Spanish, means “good-taste-of-the-oven,” and this elegant little squash is certainly that! The slightly flattened, ribbed, and warted fruit reaches about 12 inches across and weighs in at around 7 to 15 pounds. Colors run from deep green to pale sage, and the rinds are occasionally splashed in orange--outstanding in displays! The dense, firm, medium yellow-orange flesh is sweet and fine-grained and excellent for baking. Add its great keeping quality, and you’ve got a real winner that everyone is sure to love!

Growing Tips:Buen Gusto De Horno requires ample space to sprawl because of its large size. It thrives in full sun, needing at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day for optimal growth. The plant prefers rich, well-drained soil, so it's recommended to amend the planting area with compost or aged manure to enhance soil fertility and structure. Consistent watering, particularly at the base of the plant, is crucial, especially during the flowering and fruiting stages.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Cucurbita maxima
Sun Requirement
6–8 hr.
Days to Germinate
5–10
Days to Maturity
115
Planting Depth
½–1 in.
Plant Spacing
18–36 in.
Ideal Temperature
70–95°F
Frost Hardy
No

When to Grow

Plant Buen Gusto De Horno squash after the last frost when the soil has warmed to at least 70 F. This variety requires a growing season of approximately 115 days to reach full maturity. If you live in an area with a short growing season, consider starting the seeds indoors 2-4 weeks before the last expected frost and transplanting the seedlings outdoors once the weather is consistently warm​.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Plant in spring or early summer; harvest in fall before a hard frost.
  • You can direct seed or start squash indoors; just be extra careful not to let plants become pot bound! All cucurbits will not tolerate outgrowing their pots; it will stunt their growth.
  • Sow seeds or put out transplants about one to two weeks after the chance of frost has passed, as these plants absolutely cannot handle frost.
  • Sow seeds ½ to 1 inch deep.
  • Germination temperature is 70-95 F.
  • Seeds germinate in 5-10 days.

How to Grow

  • Squash plants like rich, well-drained soil and plenty of sun.
  • If you do not have a lot of space in your garden, be sure to choose bush type squash varieties; otherwise you will have a trailing vine that may crowd other plants. There is a major bonus to growing vine types: The squash vine borer has a much more difficult time killing them than bush types.
  • Sow seeds one foot apart in rows, and rows should be six to 10 feet apart if vining types are grown.
  • When plants get to be about 6 inches tall, you can thin to two to three feet apart in the rows.
  • It can be very tricky to weed around mature plants without disturbing the delicate vines, so weed often when plants are young. As they get older, their massive leaves will help reduce weeds.
  • Winter squash are left on the vine to harden and have a long storage life. Harvest summer squash frequently.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Squash beetles and vine borers are the primary pests. We take a multi-step approach to combating the issue. Aside from crop rotation, we delay planting until after the squash bug season has peaked in late June, and we spray with pyrethrum and neem oil.

How to Save Seeds

  • There are four different species of squash: Cucurbita maxima, C. pepo, C. moschata, and C. mixta. They will not cross pollinate with each other, so it is possible to grow one of each species for seed saving without worrying about cross pollination.
  • If you are planning to grow several varieties of more than one species, you can bag the blossoms and hand pollinate to avoid crossing.
  • Whether it is a summer or winter squash, you must let the fruit completely mature before extracting the seeds, and cure for at least two weeks.
  • Scoop the seeds, place them in a bucket, and add just enough water to cover. Let sit at room temperature to ferment for two days before rinsing off the pulp.
  • Lay seeds out to dry on newspaper or paper plates.
  • Stored in a cool, dry place, seeds will remain viable for up to four years.

FAQ

How big do Buen Gusto de Horno fruits get?

The slightly flattened, ribbed, and warted fruit reaches about 12 inches across and weighs in at around 7 to 15 pounds. Colors run from deep green to pale sage, and the rinds are occasionally splashed in orange, which makes them outstanding in displays.

What is the flesh of Buen Gusto de Horno like, and how is it best used?

The dense, firm, medium yellow-orange flesh is sweet and fine-grained and excellent for baking; the name, translated from Spanish, means good-taste-of-the-oven. It also has great keeping quality.

How much room and time does Buen Gusto de Horno need?

It requires ample space to sprawl because of its large size. Sow 1/2 to 1 inch deep and space plants 18 to 36 inches apart in full sun, where it needs at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day for optimal growth. Seeds germinate in 5 to 10 days and the fruit matures in about 115 days; the plants are not frost hardy. It prefers rich, well-drained soil amended with compost or aged manure, with consistent watering at the base of the plant, especially during the flowering and fruiting stages.
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