Squash - help to grow!

[reddyreddy]

I tried all sorts of squash last year and got zip from them. Any tips on how to suceed? Ie when to sow, where (greenhouse, etc) I adore them so would love a big crop!

[caroline7758]

It wasa bad year for squash last year- not enough sun! I'm no expert but I don't plan to sow mine until April at the earliest and I'mgoing toput them in the sunniest spot of the plot and hope for a good summer!

[1066]

I tried squash last year and also didn't have a great success - so I'm going to put my inability to grow good squash down to the poor weather last year 
I think one of the main things is that they really don't like cold and need long hot days, so I was planning on sowing seeds in april, then planting out sometime in may, but I'm going to try and warm the ground up (cover it) before hand to give them an extra boost. They are also hungry plants, so lots of manure (if you can get it) would be good as well
Which varieties are you trying this year?

[shirlton]

Sow mine in April as well. This year I am growing some up canes.

[spudsmummy]

hi there
this is going to be my first growing year and i am going to try growing some squash. i am going to try baby boo, Uchiki Kuri, butternut and some from seeds i saved from last years halloween pumpkins.
i am hopeing to grow some of the smaller ones up canes to try and save space. i am really looking forward to it, is that sad or what lol

[adrianhumph]

Hi all,
         Despite a poor summer I still had plenty of pumpkins In fact there are still 4 left in the garage and they have kept very well.
My favourite for it`s nutty flavour is Blue Kuri (available from Kings seeds) I grew this & Uchi Kuri last year & Blue has a much better flavour.
 I sow the seeds in individual 3 inch pots dabout mid April, just on a windowsill indoors, no heat required. During May, when the weather is fine put them outside during the day only. At the end of May  dig a hole, fill with well rotted compost/manure & plant the pumpkin in the middle. At the time of planting, place an empty 2 litre plastic bottle, top side down with the bottom cut off, in the planting hole. This is for watering the plant it makes it much easier to pour the water into the bottle and get the water into the base of the plant. When pumpkins grow they take up a lot of space & the amount foliage makes it difficult to  water.
 Also plant them at least 1 metre apart, they need a lot of space. I always hand pollinate in case the bees don`t    Take a male flower ( the one without a lump behind the flower) peel off the petals & brush the inside of the female flowers with the stamen . This should ensure pollination.
 Once the fruits have started to swell, feed with tomato feed every week.
  Hope this helps.

                               Adrian.

[reddyreddy]

Thanks that is very helpful, I will follow it to the letter and report back my success!!

[hopalong]

One of my compost heaps is nearly full and partially rotted down.  I thought I'd put some earth over the heap and grow one or two squash plants (raised indoors) into it. The compost heap is in an open position. Has anyone tried this and does it work?

[cheerfulness]

Hopalong - although I've never done it personally, I've just finished reading a book from the library about someone who did exactly the same thing on his allotment each year with fantastic results.

I'm sure I've read in other gardening books that this is a good idea, too.

[Squash64]

One of my compost heaps is nearly full and partially rotted down.  I thought I'd put some earth over the heap and grow one or two squash plants (raised indoors) into it. The compost heap is in an open position. Has anyone tried this and does it work?

Yes!
Last year I had a pile of rotted horse manure plus bedding in the area where I grow pumpkins.  I scooped a hole from the top, filled it with bought compost and planted an Atlantic Giant in it. It grew fantastically and
I won our Biggest Pumpkin competition with one of 166lbs!

[hopalong]

One of my compost heaps is nearly full and partially rotted down.  I thought I'd put some earth over the heap and grow one or two squash plants (raised indoors) into it. The compost heap is in an open position. Has anyone tried this and does it work?

Yes!
Last year I had a pile of rotted horse manure plus bedding in the area where I grow pumpkins.  I scooped a hole from the top, filled it with bought compost and planted an Atlantic Giant in it. It grew fantastically and
I won our Biggest Pumpkin competition with one of 166lbs!

That's wonderful and inspirational! I'll definitely go for it. I'm not sure my small family could use a 166lb pumpkin, even if I could grow one, but I'm sure the school could raffle it or use it for hallowe'n.

[Twoflower]

When you say grow them up canes, do you mean like beans? If you do this do you have to support the fruit?

[Squash64]

That's wonderful and inspirational! I'll definitely go for it. I'm not sure my small family could use a 166lb pumpkin, even if I could grow one, but I'm sure the school could raffle it or use it for hallowe'n.

This is a photo of the 166 pound pumpkin.  As you can see, much too big to lift so not really practical for raffles or halloween.  I contacted a local Sikh temple and they came and collected it for use in their kitchen.
I only grow the giants for the competition, not to eat because I find them too watery.

[Squash64]

When you say grow them up canes, do you mean like beans? If you do this do you have to support the fruit?

I grow them up canes every year and have never supported the fruit.  Even really heavy ones like this Blue Banana don't need it.

You need to have a strong frame, not a wigwam and obviously, you don't grow something like Atlantic Giant up canes! 

[hopalong]

That's wonderful and inspirational! I'll definitely go for it. I'm not sure my small family could use a 166lb pumpkin, even if I could grow one, but I'm sure the school could raffle it or use it for hallowe'n.

This is a photo of the 166 pound pumpkin.  As you can see, much too big to lift so not really practical for raffles or halloween.  I contacted a local Sikh temple and they came and collected it for use in their kitchen.
I only grow the giants for the competition, not to eat because I find them too watery.

The school could use one for a "guess the weight" competition!

[Twoflower]

When you say grow them up canes, do you mean like beans? If you do this do you have to support the fruit?

I grow them up canes every year and have never supported the fruit.  Even really heavy ones like this Blue Banana don't need it.

You need to have a strong frame, not a wigwam and obviously, you don't grow something like Atlantic Giant up canes! 

That's amazing i had thought you would need support. Thanks 

[Jeannine]

Hi, the best thing to do is completely forget about last year. I normally grow 30 or 40 types of squash each year.. it is my passion as many of you know.. but last year was the worst year I have ever tried to grow in and was a dead loss in this area, some areas were OK but many suffered the same problem.Enjpy this year, my gut feeling is it will be a good year.

Tips. don't start them too early unless you can keep them in a warm greenhouse,pot them on frequently until you are in bucket size containers. I did that with many of the hard to mature ones  and also with melons but it takes up a lot of space.

My personal preference is well rotted manure, then black plastic about a month before planting out, it warms the soil a few degrees and helps a lot.Don't overcrowd them, they will be puny plants if you do and will struggle, really give them the space they need, it is better to plant less plants and get good yeilds

Plant good strong healthy plants at the right time into warm  fertile soil with lots of room and you should be just fine.

XX Jeannine

[1066]

Thanks Jeannine, I didn't bother to keep potting them on last year, and I think they spent the 1st month in the ground sulking, so I will defo give that a try. having read lots of posts (yours included) on this forum I had planned the old horse muck and black plastic for my 10 to 12 varieties on a new patch of ground.
And lets hope you are right about a ssshhhhh good summer
1066

[Ishard]

Of course we are going to have a good summer this year as my Granny/Grandad/milkman or local butcher told me that if the rooks nested at the top of trees then then summer will be hot,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,AND THEY ARE!!!! 


hehehe I thought I hadnt got any pumpkin seeds so bought a few packets, I now have 15 mostly of the same variety.

I think it was a senior moment.   

[Robert_Brenchley]

Let's hope this year is an improvemnt on last year's washout! It couldn't be worse.