Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Native
North America
Life Cycle
Annual
Plant Height
Medium (12" - 24")
Further Information
Plant Characteristics
Good for Containers
Growing Conditions
Frost Sensitive
About Black Beauty Summer Squash Seeds
Cucurbita pepo
Best picked at 6"–8" long, has very dark green, shiny thin skin with creamy white interior, introduced to the U.S. in the 1920s.
Planting Squash
Plant Spacing
2–3 seeds per mound
Light Required
Full sun
Plant Height
Medium (12" - 24")
Planting Depth
½"–1"
Planting Details
| Row Spacing | 3'–4' |
|---|---|
| Seed Depth | ½"–1" |
| Seed Spacing | 2–3 seeds per mound |
| Thinning | When 3 leaves, thin to 1 plant per mound |
| Germination | 5–10 days |
| Start Indoors | Not recommended except in very short growing seasons, 2 to 4 weeks before transplanting. Roots are sensitive to disturbance; sow in biodegradable pots that can be planted directly into the ground. Transplant when soil temperature is at least 60°F. |
| Direct Sow | RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 70°–85°F. |
| Growing & Harvesting | Harvest frequently to increase yield; squash seem to get monstrous overnight. While edible at almost any size, seeds are less developed in young fruit, therefore more tender. Using a knife or clippers, cut squash off including some of the stem. By including stem, the fruit is sealed and less likely to mold or dry out. Harvesting Blossoms: Look for male, non-fruit producing flowers that have long stems and harvest just before use (female flowers have a swollen mini-squash at the base of the flower and are on shorter stems). |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
Send Your Recommendation
Total 5 star reviews: 43 Total 4 star reviews: 1 Total 3 star reviews: 2 Total 2 star reviews: 3 Total 1 star reviews: 9
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
58 reviews
- KRISTINA S.Verified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars10/19/25Did not sprout
Did not sprout
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests10/28/25Hey KRISTINA,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
- Lisa M.Verified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars10/10/25Do not buy
Seeds produce a beautiful plant and flowers but the flowers fall off after a few days. Planted 5 squash plants only harvested 2 squash. Botanical were kind enough to send me replacement seeds but unfortunately they did the same thing. Customer service is great seeds not so much.
Which best describes you as a gardener? ExpertBIBotanical Interests10/10/25Hello Lisa,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us. I’m sorry to hear your squash plants didn’t produce as well as you hoped, even after replanting. I’m really glad, though, that our customer service team was able to help you out.
When squash flowers bloom beautifully but then fall off, it’s usually due to pollination issues. Squash plants need both male and female flowers to be pollinated, and if bees or other pollinators don’t make the connection, the flowers may drop without forming fruit.
We truly appreciate your support and hope your next round of planting brings a much better yield!
- Allan G.CA, United StatesVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars10/5/25Easy success
Grew a ton of fruit from just one plant.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateWho do you grow for? YourselfHow do you prefer to grow? Raised Bed - Robert S.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars9/19/25Great seeds
Just like everything I've ever purchased from BI, these seeds performed over and above all expectations.
Can't wait for my garlic to arrive late next month!!
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests9/22/25Hey Robert S.,
What a fantastic review! We're absolutely thrilled to hear that your Black Beauty Summer Squash Seeds performed over and above all expectations - that's exactly what we love to hear from our customers!
It sounds like these squash really delivered on everything that makes Black Beauty such a beloved variety. There's something so satisfying when a classic like Black Beauty Summer Squash exceeds your expectations, especially when you're already familiar with the quality you can expect from our seeds. These squash are such reliable performers with their glossy dark green fruits and tender, flavorful flesh that's perfect for so many summer dishes.
We're so happy to hear you've had consistently great experiences with everything you've purchased from us! That kind of trust and satisfaction from returning customers like yourself means the world to us, and it really shows in how well your garden performs year after year.
And how exciting that you have garlic coming next month! There's nothing quite like having fresh garlic from your own garden to pair with all those delicious summer squash you'll be harvesting. You're going to have such an amazing harvest season ahead of you!
Thank you so much for being such a loyal customer and for sharing your enthusiasm about both the seed performance and your upcoming garlic order!
Keep on growing 🌻️
- MelissaVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars8/30/25Big and Beautiful and FAST!
Such an incredible plant! Huge with lovely green leaves and dark green zucchini - great producer. Will grow this one again next year!
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests9/4/25Hey Melissa,
Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic experience with our Black Beauty Summer Squash Seeds! We absolutely love hearing that these plants grew into such incredible producers with those gorgeous huge green leaves and beautiful dark green squash! That vigorous growth you experienced is exactly what makes this variety so special - when Black Beauty squash plants are happy, they really do put on quite the show with their impressive size and productivity! We're so thrilled to hear you're planning to grow them again next year - that's the best compliment we could ask for! Keep on growing 🌻️