Tatume squash is a rare heirloom summer squash from Mexico and Texas that's becoming increasingly difficult to find. This vigorous, heat-loving variety produces round to oval fruits in medium-dark green to yellow with faint striping, reaching peak flavor and texture at 5 to 7 inches in diameter. Hardy across zones 3 to 13 and ready to harvest in 50 to 59 days, tatume rewards gardeners who give its sprawling vines plenty of room to spread with a firm, fine-flavored crop that resists the devastating squash vine borer, a pest that stops many other varieties cold.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Preferred Temp70-85°F
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
—
Width
48 in
Spacing
50–59
Days to Harvest
PeriodAnnual
TypeVine, Forb/herb
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-13
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
High
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Highlights
Tatume squash is a regional treasure that thrives in hot climates and actively resists squash vine borer, one of the home gardener's most frustrating pests. The vines spread vigorously and demand space, but that vigor translates to reliable production even in challenging conditions. This heirloom vanishes from seed catalogs year after year, making it worth saving seed from if you fall for its firm texture and distinctive flavor.
Common Uses
Tatume squash is a summer squash harvested at 5 to 7 inches for use as a tender vegetable. Its firm flesh and fine flavor suit it to sautéing, grilling, or roasting, where the flesh holds its texture and doesn't collapse into mush like some watery summer squashes. It can also be used fresh in light vegetable dishes where its distinctive taste and firm body are assets.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Summer
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow tatume squash seeds after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed thoroughly, as this heat-loving variety will not tolerate cold soil or cool nights.
Harvesting
Harvest tatume squash when fruits reach 5 to 7 inches in diameter, which typically occurs 50 to 59 days after planting. At this size, the flesh is firm and the flavor is most pronounced. Pick fruits regularly to encourage continued production from the vigorous vines.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cucurbita pepo L.
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucurbita
Duration
Annual
Native Status
L48 (NI)PR (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“Tatume squash is a rare heirloom with deep roots in Mexican and Texan agriculture. It has become progressively harder to locate in the seed trade, a fate that befalls many regionally adapted heirlooms as commercial breeding narrows toward high-volume, uniform varieties. Its survival today depends on home gardeners and seed savers who recognize its regional importance and its exceptional pest resistance, keeping this disappearing variety in circulation.”