Tivoli Hybrid Spaghetti Squash Seeds

Days to Maturity: 98 from direct sow

All-America Selections (AAS) Winner 1991

So high yielding and delicious it won an All-America Selection, Tivoli hybrid is a spaghetti squash that also may be picked young for use as a summer squash. The flavor is sweet and mild, the texture crunchy; it is a winning combination you will enjoy all season. And the best part, it has a bush habit just right for patio containers, where you can enjoy it up close.

These fruits are medium-large, oval, pale yellow, and packed with creamy "spaghetti". They weigh between 4 and 5 pounds, on average, and measure 9 inches long by 6 inches in diameter. Slice them in half lengthwise, steam each side, and fluff up the "noodles" with a fork. Your spaghetti squash is ready for sauce.

Tivoli hybrid is very short vined, with less space between fruit and a sturdy, upright habit. The plant will probably reach about 2 feet tall and may stretch 3 feet wide in containers. Very productive, it is the first-ever bush habit spaghetti squash. No wonder it won an AAS award.

Spaghetti squash is a winter variety, acquiring a very hard shell for long-term storage if you let it grow to full maturity. Tivoli hybrid, however, can be picked young for use as a soft-shelled summer squash. You never get overwhelmed by the harvest; you can pick just what you need, and let the rest keep growing.

Squash is very easy to grow, and part of the Three Sisters Native American companion planting. (The other two sisters are beans and corn). Give it sunshine, well-draining soil, and adequate water, and Mother Nature will do the rest.

Sow the seed 1 inch deep, thinning the plants to 3 to 4 feet apart in the garden.