50 days from direct sowing.Black Beauty arises abundantly on semi-upright, open-habit plants that simplify harvest and keep you scratch- and puncture-free. This squash ripens during the hot summer months and, thin-skinned, is best eaten fresh.Sow seeds 1 inch deep directly into the garden after the danger of frost is past. Thin the seedlings to 24 inches apart, or plant several seeds in hills 4 feet apart and then thin to 2 plants per hill. (For even earlier harvests, start seeds indoors.)