VegetableSquash
Crookneck Squash
Crookneck Squash represents one of the oldest squash varieties still grown today, cultivated for centuries by indigenous peoples across North America. This distinctive yellow summer squash with its characteristic curved neck and bumpy, warted skin delivers buttery-sweet flesh that's ready to harvest in just 50-59 days. Hardy across zones 3-13, these compact bush plants reach 24-30 inches tall and produce continuously through summer when picked regularly at 5-6 inches long.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
TypeSpreading
Spacing
36
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-13
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
The bent neck and rounded bottom of this ancient variety provides exceptional meat-to-seed ratio, making every harvest worthwhile. These prolific bush plants produce copious yields of tender, buttery-yellow squash with narrow curved necks that deepen to rich golden color as they mature. The bumpy, thickly warted skin signals the sweet, flavorful flesh within. Harvest every couple of days once production begins, and these reliable plants will keep producing non-stop until frost.
Common Uses
This versatile summer squash excels in quick-cooking applications like stir-fries and sautés, where its tender flesh and buttery flavor shine. Grated into fritters and quick breads, it adds moisture and subtle sweetness. The flesh can be peeled into thin slices for a pasta substitute or diced for vegetable medleys. Grilled slices develop excellent flavor, and the entire harvest from blossoms to mature fruit offers kitchen versatility throughout the growing season.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
For earliest starts, begin seeds indoors 3-4 weeks prior to final spring frost. Plant 2-3 seeds 1 inch deep per cell in organic, moist, well-drained soil, spacing 4-6 inches apart.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings to 6-8 inch tall soil mounds after final spring frost, thinning to the best starts and spacing them 24-36 inches apart per mound.
Direct Sow
Sow seeds directly after final spring frost when soil temperatures warm. Plant 2-3 seeds 1 inch deep on raised mounds of soil.
Harvesting
Harvest squash when they measure 5-6 inches long, typically beginning around 58 days from sowing. The fruits are best picked every couple of days to maintain continuous production. Use shears or a knife to carefully clip fruits at the stem rather than twisting or pulling. Morning harvest is ideal, especially when collecting edible squash blossoms. Fruits left too long become starchy and less flavorful at 18-24 inches, so frequent picking is essential.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cucurbita pepo
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucurbita
Growth Habit
Spreading
Native Status
L48 (NI)PR (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“This variety represents one of the oldest squash still being grown today, with a heritage stretching back centuries to indigenous peoples of North America. The distinctive namesake comes from the bent neck of the gourd with its rounded bottom, a shape that indigenous cultivators recognized provided excellent meat with minimal seeds. Through generations of careful seed saving and cultivation, this ancient variety has survived to become what catalogs describe as the most widely used summer squash, preserving both its unique form and exceptional eating quality.”