Topic: Butternut Squash - growing vertically?

[Scoobys plot]

Currently have three butternut squash plants in 5" pots and am looking to plant out shortly.  Unfortunately I have completely filled the lottie with veg plants (in my enthusiasm, can not bear to throw healthy seedlings on the compost bin!).

Therefore I was thinking about growing the squash up the 4"fence posts that support the wires for my raspberry canes.  The question is how do i train the squash to go vertical?  Do I regularly tie them to the post (and look to support the fruit at a later date - if we get that far!)  Or should I put some wires around the post for the squash  to self climb - are they like a cucumber in that sense?

Scooby

[supersprout]

I give Nature a hand and tie them in so the tendrils get the hang of it.
See also http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,8578.0 and http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,19535.0
 :)

[tricia]

I have four butternut squash plants in tubs and intend encouraging them to grow vertically. As yet they are quite small, they don't seem to be as fast growing as courgettes, which I am also trying to grow vertically - or at least less sprawling.

Tricia

[Jitterbug]

Hi there

I am so glad there are others growing like this.  ;D  At least no-one can see mine from the street.   I am growing gem squash and hubbard squash (pumpkin) this year.  The pumpkin I am starting off on a small wigwam of bamboo canes and then tying them to the trellis that backs the spot where they are planted.   I will place the heavier pumpkins in netting bags and support on the trellis if necessary. 

We always seem to make a plan when our garden are too small....

Good luck everyone - keep us posted.

Jitterbug

[Tee Gee]

I grow mine vertically by sticking a long cane in the greenhouse border and fixing the top of it to a horizontal straining wire (I do my tomatoes the same way)

This is a picture from last year, not the best picture to indicate what I have described but at least you can see the roof of the greenhouse;

[tricia]

Ooooh! Tee Gee - I hope I can get some winter squash even half as lovely as the one pictured ;). Thanks for posting it. I am growing them outside (south-west) in full sun and will be rigging a trellis for them as they grow. Two varieties which are growing well - Waltham and a couple of plants from seeds from a shop bought squash as an experiment.

Tricia

[busy_lizzie]

Hi,  this is a pic of my squash frames, my butternuts are at the front.  I successfully grew my squash this way last year and it does save so much space.  :) busy_lizzie

[supersprout]

A couple of butternuts in among the other squash under glass, another way of growing vertically?

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've just put mine out, I'm going to let them ramble round the sweetcorn. The ones I tried last year did well grown that way, but I planted them too late. They're a lot maller than thouse though, probably because I had them in a crowded mini-greenhouse, which meant small pots, then put them under cloches. The pumpkins I left in the mini-greenhouse have grown far more than the ones I put out, but I'm not sure why.

[supersprout]

The outdoor ones only have three or four leaves - those that survived that is :-[ - so these are well ahead too, they seem to love the conditions in the greenhouse.
I've just sown a fresh lot outdoors, in hopes that they'll roar ahead in the hot weeks to come :-\