Topic: Do you rotate where you grow your Courgettes & Butternut Squash?

[Crystalmoon]

Hi everyone on my new plot I am not going to do a complicated 4 year rotation as such as I am planting several things/families in each raised bed in succession this season to maximise harvests from each bed. I'm just going to be sensible about growing spuds in a different place next year & also any Brassicas, peas/beans & leeks.

But I was wondering if I should also choose a different area to grow my squash plants next year?

The squash haven't been grown in raised beds they are in heavy clay, that was manured, planted through good quality membrane so the membrane will have handy holes in it ready for squash next year if it is ok to plant them there again. I can lift the membrane once the squash have finished to manure the area, clear any weeds that have survived under the membrane & put back down or leave off through the Winter...whichever is the best thing to do???

I have suffered no slug damage to any of the squash this year, no ant nests under the membrane either. All I seem to have encouraged to be in & around the squash are baby frogs/toads which I am very pleased to have on my plot.
 Jane

[tricia]

I use one raised bed exclusively for squashes and grow them like you do Jane -  manure the bed in Autumn, cover it with membrane to deter cats and plant greenhouse raised squashes in late May (usually through fresh membrane after loosening up the soil and adding chicken manure pellets). I buy cheap poundshop membrane and discard it after the winter. This year my choice of varieties is Barbara, Hunter and Autumn Crown which are all now beginning to set fruit.

Tricia 

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks Tricia that's good to know...looks like I've got a permanent squash bed then 
I've grown a 50p variety pack where the seeds were loose inside so I won't know what I've got until they mature a bit...they are just setting fruit now...very slow to get going with the grey cold wet weather we had in Kent for most of the Summer. I've grown Striato D'italia courgettes for the first time this year & love their pin striped skins. For Butternuts I've tried Hunter for the first time this year...again slow to get going but setting fruit now. I sowed indoors in a covered seed tray then moved to a plastic greenhouse before planting out under plastic bottle cloches...did wonder if it would ever get warm enough to free them from the bottles this year lol.
I didn't add the chicken manure pellets until yesterday so will try adding when I plant out next year as you do. I didn't loosen the heavy clay soil before planting as it was so wet you could have made pots from it...instead I used a bulb planter to get out a nice sized lump of clay & then popped my squash babies in with some compost. I used the fibre pots to germinate them in so they went in pots & all. xJane