How to Grow Benning's Green Tint Pattypan
Cucurbita pepo 'Benning's Green Tint Pattypan'
Benning's Green Tint Pattypan is a beloved heirloom squash known for its vibrant green skin speckled with purple spots. Gardeners prize this variety not just for its unique appearance but also for the tender, sweet flesh inside that makes it perfect for roasting or stuffing.
Starting Benning's Green Tint Pattypan: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Benning's Green Tint Pattypan is not usually started indoors.
This plant is a warm-season crop that must be planted directly outdoors only after the last frost date has passed and soil temperatures have warmed sufficiently.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare your soil to a pH between 6.0 and 7.0, ensuring it is loose and well-draining since squash roots need room to spread. As a warm-season crop, you must wait until after the last spring frost when the ground has warmed up; do not sow early or frost will kill the seedlings. Plant seeds directly in their final location at a depth of about one inch. Expect germination to occur within seven to ten days under these warm conditions.
Space plants thirty-six to forty-eight inches apart to allow vines to sprawl freely without overcrowding. While this variety grows relatively low, usually only reaching three feet tall, it does not require trellising and thrives best when allowed to spread on the ground. Provide consistent moisture, aiming for one to one-and-a-half inches of water weekly, and apply mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.
Watch closely for squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and vine borers, which can devastate the plant. Prevent powdery mildew by ensuring good air circulation, and control bacterial or downy mildew with proper spacing and watering at the soil level. Harvest these attractive fruits fifty to sixty days after sowing when they are firm but still tender; cut them from the vine using clean shears.
When to Plant Benning's Green Tint Pattypan
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | July – August | September – August |
| Zone 2 | — | June – August | September |
| Zone 3 | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 4 | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 5 | — | May – June | August – September |
| Zone 6 | — | May – June | July – September |
| Zone 7 | — | April – June | July – August |
| Zone 8 | — | April – May | June – August |
| Zone 9 | — | March – April | May – July |
| Zone 10 | — | February – April | May – June |
| Zone 11 | — | January – March | April – May |
| Zone 12 | — | January – March | April – May |
| Zone 13 | — | January – March | April – May |
Companion Plants for Benning's Green Tint Pattypan
✓ Good companions
Fixes nitrogen in soil, completes Three Sisters companion trio
Repels squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and ants effectively
Provides natural trellis support and shade, part of Three Sisters planting
Repels cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and nematodes with natural compounds
Acts as trap crop for squash bugs and cucumber beetles, repels aphids
Repels cucumber beetles and provides general pest deterrent properties
Deters squash vine borers and cucumber beetles, breaks up soil
Attracts beneficial insects and provides wind protection for squash vines
✗ Keep away from
Heavy feeders that compete for nutrients, may stunt squash growth
Inhibits growth through allelopathic compounds, stunts most vegetable plants
Competes for nutrients and space, may increase disease susceptibility
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
