SUMMER SQUASH produces only short vines or no vines at all. Summer squash are grown very much like winter squash. Though related to vining plants such as cucumbers and winter squash, most varieties of summer squash produce short vines or no vines at all. This can make them more appropriate for small gardens than are winter squash.
WINTER SQUASH can send vines out that are 8 m (25 ft) long or longer! Give them lots of space to roam around and you will find these plants are not very difficult to grow. There are many varieties of winter squash that vary in size, flavor, texture, sweetness, productivity, and storage properties. Some can be stored from harvest until the following May, while others keep for no more than a month after harvest.