Pumpkins are popular during the fall time of the year and people love pumpkins at Halloween. Did you know pumpkins and butternut squash are cousins? Pumpkins are a type of squash. Some people are surprised to find out that squashes are fruits not vegetables! Squashes grow on vines. They also have seeds inside. So, they are fruits! Plants that grow on vines and have seeds inside are fruit! Think about watermelons and grapes! They grow on vines and have seeds inside, so they are fruits. For that matter, tomatoes are fruits as well! Fruits grow on vines or trees.
The butternut squash you see in this picture grew as “volunteers” in our garden. “Volunteers” grow from seeds that have been discarded instead of intentionally planted. We had butternut squash seeds in our compost that we spread in our beds to fertilize the soil. The butternut squash seeds “volunteered” to grow and give us these beautiful fruit!