Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Native
Argentina and Uruguay
Life Cycle
Annual
Plant Height
Vine
Further Information
Growing Conditions
Frost Sensitive
About Kurinishiki Kabocha Winter Squash Seeds
Cucurbita maxima (hybrid)
3–4-pound, flattened globe-shape fruits are dark, greenish-gray with pale green striping. Flesh is yellow-orange, very sweet, and smooth when cooked.
Planting Squash
Days to Maturity
95 days
Plant Spacing
2–3 seeds per mound
Light Required
Full sun
Plant Height
Vine
Planting Depth
½–1"
Coverage & Planting Details
| Coverage | This packet sows up to 4 mounds. |
|---|---|
| Row Spacing | 4'–12' apart |
| Seed Depth | ½–1" |
| Seed Spacing | 2–3 seeds per mound |
| Thinning | When 3" leaves, thin to 1–2 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°. |
| Growing & Harvesting | Harvest when the squash's rind is hard enough that you can't dent it with your fingernail and before first frost. Cut stem, (don't break it off) leaving 2" of stem attached, which keeps the squash whole, leaving no opening for infection. Though fruits are hard and may seem indestructible, treat them gently; bruising can spoil squash. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
8 reviews
- Justin G.MD, United StatesVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars9/23/26Successful, but sought out by SVB
I grew four of these on arched trellises and all of them were extremely successful. Up until the day that squash vine borer wiped out the entire crop one by one. In every case I caught the squash vine borer pretty early on and performed emergency surgery to remove the larva from inside and tried to repair the stem. They held on for a few weeks longer, but couldn't maintain the flow of water and nutrients with the vascular damage to the stem. I will absolutely try again next season and take preventative measures to guard against SVB. I had to harvest all of my pumpkins early in an attempt to save the vine and preserve its energy, but it just couldn't recover sufficiently. Even so, the immature fruit was delicious and tender, just not hardy enough to store.
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerWho do you grow for? FamiliesHow do you prefer to grow? Raised BedBIBotanical Interests9/24/26Hey Justin,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! We're really impressed by your success growing four Kurinishiki Kabocha Winter Squash on trellises - that's fantastic! It sounds like you put a lot of care and effort into your crop, and we truly appreciate you sharing the details about what happened with the squash vine borers.
It must have been a very frustrating experience. We're genuinely glad to hear that even the immature fruit turned out to be delicious and tender. Your determination to try again next season with preventative measures is the spirit we love to see! Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we're committed to supporting your growing success.
Thank you again for being such a dedicated gardener and for your input. Keep on growing 🌻
- missVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars8/31/26extremely heat tolerant
Of about the 5-6 seeds I started only two thrived, but I chalk this mostly up to user-error on my end since it's my first year gardening. Once they get going they REALLY get going. One ended up growing up and across a shed roof, and the other took up half my 6x3 garden bed and the fence behind it. A string of 100F+ weeks have killed off a lot of my older plants but these are still going strong.
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerBIBotanical Interests9/1/26Hey Miss,
We're so stoked to hear that your Kurinishiki Kabocha Winter Squash Seeds have been such a success! It's awesome that once they got going they really took off - growing up and across your shed roof and taking over half your garden bed is seriously impressive! And we love that they're holding up so well through those intense 100F+ weeks when so many other plants are struggling. Your experience is a great reminder of how resilient these plants can be. Thanks so much for being part of the growing community! Keep on growing 🌻
- Diane K.Verified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars6/23/26Poor Germination
I planted 6 seeds and only 2 germinated. I have squash seeds that are several years old that had better germination rate. I would have expected these to do better, considering the price was almost $6 for only 10 seeds. Needless to say, I'm very disappointed!
Which best describes you as a gardener? ExpertBIBotanical Interests6/27/26Hey Diane,
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 🌻️
- John W.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars6/20/26Good,Good
Good, almost
All germinated.
And there weed 11
Seeds in the packet to account for an occasional seed that doesn’t make it to germination.
Which best describes you as a gardener? ProfessionalBIBotanical Interests6/23/26Hey John,
We're so happy to hear about your excellent Kurinishiki Kabocha Winter Squash Seeds germination! It's fantastic that almost all of them sprouted for you - that's exactly what we love to see! And yes, we always try to include a few extra seeds in each packet because we know how disappointing it can be when you're counting on every single seed. Sounds like you're well on your way to a great kabocha harvest! Thanks for sharing your germination success with us! Keep on growing 🌻️
- Janet R.Verified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 stars8/17/25Vigorous grower
The vines are growing everywhere and I have several fruits on the vine. I picked, roasted and ate the first squash. It had a micro grainy texture that I was not crazy about. I'll try another cooking methd next time.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests8/20/25Hey Janet,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with our Kurinishiki Kabocha Winter Squash Seeds! We absolutely love hearing that the vines are growing so vigorously and that you've got several fruits developing - that's such a great sign of a healthy harvest! We really appreciate you sharing your honest thoughts about the texture after roasting. Kabocha can definitely vary in texture depending on the cooking method, and we're glad you're planning to experiment with different ways to prepare your next one - steaming, sautéing, or even using it in soups can sometimes give completely different results! We hope you'll let us know your thoughts once you try a different method. Keep on growing 🌻️