This squash needs 4 months of hot weather to mature and in Zone 4 you don't have that long and maybe not weather that hot. That is why you've only seen it discussed in hot zones.

If you are determined to try it black plastic on the ground will help keep the heat in the soil.. Lay it out and anchor it and cut an x where you are going to plant. Hot caps may work when it's small but once the vine reaches the top it won't be much good.

Alright so the the weather has broke and it has been 75 degrees every day the first week of may. I've got some black plastic mulch down on 2 slightly raised rows. I will plant one in sweet meat and one in butternut. According to Cornell my avg last frost day is may 10. My question is with the plastic down how much sooner can I or should I put seed in. I will cut x's as suggested and plan on planting every foot and thinning to about 2. Any advice appreciation. Getting excited to plant. Thanks.

I sure hope you had success with your Sweet Meat squash, I'm glad you planted it in spite of not having information on it for your area.

The PNW includes the Puget Sound region and we are far from hot and dusty! If I can grow a particular squash anyone can! It may say I'm a zone 8 like Georgia, and for the frosty temps of winter it is true, but as far as summer weather, I couldn't be more different!

I just finished harvesting my squash and once again Sweet Meat really performed well, without extra plastic, or hot caps or even floating row cover. I do start mine indoors at the end of April will all my cucurbita and then plant out in the second or third week in May.

By the way, 75 degrees for the whole of the first week of May! Nice!

Butternut is a hard squash for me to grow here, but I do have pretty good luck with a variety called Barbara Butternut, she has green stripes! I have lots of favorites that make good pies and roast wonderfully, like I said earlier, if I can grow them anyone can.