Hi Orlando-Dave

Gardeners that live in colder climates sometimes plant squash indoors to be transplanted after the frost when they want to get a quick start of the season. If you are careful and don't break any roots, it can be successfully transplanted but it is easier for us just to direct seeded in a good amended soil, there is still time to do that. In fact, I just direct seeded yesterday one more squash that I forgot to plant...

Some of my squash this morning

Silvia

The UF guide sez:
Transplantability categories: I, easily survives transplanting; II, survives with care; III, use seeds or containerized transplants only.

Squash/pumpkins are III - 'containerized' means each transplant is in an individual container, not a flat, so you can pop it out w/o disrupting the roots, rather than cutting or breaking roots to separate them from a flat.

I always transplant my squash (you just have to be careful not to break the roots, as Silvia says). Direct-seeding doesn't work for me, as the sprouts are quickly destroyed by bugs & critters.

I always start my squash in yogurt cups in the winter and have them under lights until the weather is warm enough to transplant. I've never had any problems. It gets me a head start against bugs and diseases.

I also always start my squash seeds in small containers before transplanting. Besides helping them to not get eaten, I often don't have my planting site ready so it buys me extra time.

Christine

That is great news because my squash plants look so pretty in their containers. Thanks for unpacking what the UF III designation means.

Dave