Mini Paulista Summer Squash
Plant Size Guide

Paulista Butternut Squash (Cucurbita moschata) Live Plant
Days to maturity: 90 days
Plant spacing: 1 per square foot, but it will crawl
Sunlight requirements: 8-14 hours
Look out for: powdery mildew & worms
Harvest notes: harvest fruit as summer squash or wait for skin to harden for winter squash
Seasons: fall, spring
Lifecycle: Annual
Paulista is a traditional Brazilian squash that’s well-suited to hot, humid climates like ours. This variety is grown by Commonwealth Seeds and is considered a “mini”with fruit best harvested at around 6” long. The fruit has tan to greenish skin and dense, orange flesh that’s rich, sweet, and nutty. It’s often compared to butternut squash in flavor, but with its own unique richness, making it a staple in soups, stews, roasting, or purees.
The plants are more compact than other vining squash varieties but still need a good amount of space. They need full sun, well-drained fertile soil, and regular deep watering. Because they’re a moschata type, they tolerate heat and humidity better than many squashes and show good resistance to pests like squash vine borers. Fruits mature in about 90–110 days and can be stored for weeks after harvest if kept in a cool, dry spot.
Delivery Details
Delivery Details
When you place your order we head into our greenhouse to select the very best plants we have in stock for your garden. We label them with handwritten compostable wooden labels and pack them in recyclable boxes to keep them safe on their journey. Our delivery partners, Roadie, take it from there and head to the Redlands to pick up your order. Communication and tracking take place via Roadie and your driver will leave your plants in a safe and covered area.
Plant Care
Plant Care
When your plant delivery arrives, make sure you water your new plants thoroughly with a light spray of water (none of this thumb over the hose stuff). We recommend planting them within 10 days of receiving them. If you do intent to wait to plant them, we recommend placing them in a shallow reservoir (like a baking pan) and filling it with half an inch of water so they can drink the water from below while you are at work and place them in an area with plenty of sun. When planting in your garden always add a dash of Organic granular fertilizer, and give them extra water during their first week in their new home, while they adjust. We recommend disturbing the root ball as little as possible during planting.
About Our Plants
About Our Plants
All of our plants are grown in OMRI certified Organic materials (potting mix, fertilizer, seeds, etc.) and include Organic granular fertilizer, living locally-made compost, and have been cared for with healthy microorganisms from compost tea and microbial inoculants. We only use organic pesticides when needed. We only stock varieties that we have experience growing and that are season and climate appropriate for South Florida. Our curated inventory is simple enough for a beginner and interesting enough to keep an advanced gardeners attention, with new and rare varieties being added weekly.
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Now Little River Nursery & Little River Gardens
Two new names, one guiding vision; to empower people through food and ecology. For more information on our garden installation services visit the Little River Gardens website.

