Honey Boat Delicata is one of the sweetest winter squash varieties you can grow, with an oblong shape, tan skin traced with green stripes, and flesh so rich and buttery it tastes almost like dessert. Developed by Dr. James Baggett at Oregon State University, this heirloom reaches maturity in just 105 days, making it surprisingly quick for a winter squash. It produces early and abundantly in full sun, rewarding gardeners with exceptional flavor and quality that justifies its heirloom status.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-11
?in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
The flavor here is genuinely remarkable for a squash; the sweetness and depth make it taste less like a vegetable and more like a treat. Growing it takes less time than most winter squash varieties at 105 days, yet the quality doesn't suffer. The oblong, striped fruits are strikingly beautiful on the vine, and because Dr. Baggett bred it specifically for both flavor and earliness, you're getting the best of both traits in one plant.
Honey Boat Delicata is roasted as a side dish, where its tender flesh and natural sweetness shine without much seasoning. The skin is thin and entirely edible when cooked, so you can halve the squash, scoop out seeds, roast it face-down until golden and soft, and eat it straight from the skin with just butter and salt. It also works beautifully in soups, pureed into a silky bisque, or sliced thin and added to grain bowls.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
You can start seeds indoors 3 to 4 weeks before your last expected frost date, sowing them at a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch in warm soil around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Seedlings will emerge in 5 to 10 days. Harden off transplants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting in the garden.
Transplant outdoors after all frost danger has passed and soil temperatures have reached at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably warmer. Space plants 18 to 36 inches apart to allow room for vine spread. Water gently after transplanting and keep soil consistently moist for the first week as plants establish.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after all frost danger has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally closer to 70 degrees. Sow seeds 1/2 to 1 inch deep, spacing them 18 to 36 inches apart, or sow 3 to 4 seeds in hills and thin to the strongest plant after germination.
Honey Boat Delicata reaches harvest maturity at 105 days from planting. Pick squash when the skin has deepened to a full tan color with prominent green striping and the skin has hardened enough that you cannot easily puncture it with a thumbnail. Harvest before the first frost, as this variety is not frost hardy. Cut the stem with a sharp knife, leaving a 1 to 2 inch stem attached to the fruit.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Honey Boat Delicata emerged from the breeding program of Dr. James Baggett at Oregon State University, where it was developed to combine the exceptional sweetness and tender flesh of delicata squash with improved earliness and productivity. Baggett's work focused on creating varieties that would thrive in cooler climates and shorter growing seasons while maintaining the delicate, buttery qualities that make delicatas special. This variety represents a significant achievement in squash breeding, bringing refined flavor and reliability to home gardeners who might otherwise struggle to mature winter squash in their regions.”