Days to Maturity: 80 to 85 direct sow
All-America Selections (AAS) Edible Vegetable Winner 2025
An ornamental edible, Thriller is a unique winter squash that's as artful as it is delicious, perfect for dinner or decor. As a dumpling squash, the fruits are dainty, weighing about 1 to 2 pounds each, with a flat and round shape. This 'carnival' type thrills with intriguing swirls of yellow-cream and dark green variegated color and bright orange highlights and ribs. The flesh is dense and has a rich orange color and remarkable flavorcreamy, sweet, and nuttyespecially when roasted. But these little cuties are also a great option for stuffing. Winter squash is a perfect addition to a healthy meal: it's high in fiber, protein, magnesium, potassium, vitamins B6 and C as well as in beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
A Cucurbita pepo cultivar, commonly called winter squash or dumpling squash, Thriller is a fruit vegetable and member of the cucurbit family (Cucurbitaceae). This herbaceous annual has a compact, semi-bushy to trailing habit, reaching about 15 inches tall and 36 inches wide at full maturity. Thriller is high yielding, with each plant producing about 8 fruitsplenty for sharing. Harvest plants when the squashes are bright green and cream with just a little orange still visible.
Thriller squash is resistant to powdery mildew and easy to grow from seed, growing best in a sunny spot with fertile, organically rich, medium moist, well-drained soil. These heavy producing plants appreciate regular fertilization. Water consistently but avoid over watering.
Thriller winter squash is a warm-season vegetable, sensitive to cold temperatures and frost. The seeds can be direct sown into warm spring soil after all danger of frost has passed, spacing plants 36 inches apart. But they can also be started indoors about 3 weeks before transplanting. Flowers begin to set fruit with day temperatures between 68° and 72°F and night temperatures between 60° and 65°F. Protect squash plants if temperatures are expected to dip below 50°F and use row covers for added protection if heavy frost is expected. Mulch around Thriller squash plants to moderate soil temperature and maintain soil moisture.
For starting Thriller squash seeds indoors, there's nothing better than the Bio Dome. Bio Dome creates a Goldilocks effect, with the perfect temperature, light, and soil mix, ensuring your seeds become strong for transplant.
