Topic: winter squash, how can I maximise fruit production

[crown princess]

  :-\
Hi, I'm new to this, and not very puter literate to boot!  Here goes...............
I love growing pumpkin/winter squash, and wondered if any one knows how I can increase the number of fruits per plant, I grow on an allotment in raised (french intensive) beds, SPACE IS AT A PREMIUM, I grow for eating and winter storage and size of fruit is not particularly important, but I do like to grow different colours and textures etc.  How can I get more than 2-3 fruits per plant?   I only have room for about 20 plants and want as many fruits as I can get out of twnety plants (am trying 8 types this year, as I'm getting more greedy), my favourite to date is crown prince.
Any advice gratefully received.

[manicscousers]

jeannine may have some tips for you, she's the squash queen  ;D

[allaboutliverpool]

I grew 2 Butternut squash plants last year on had 11 fruits. They were grown on freshly dug soil in a frame as I had no manure and it was a new plot.
Take a look at the set-up on

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_squash_butternut.html

I will be disapointed if I do not get 40 squashes from 6 plants this year, enough to last all winter.

[vegging out]

I will be disapointed if I do not get 40 squashes from 6 plants this year, enough to last all winter.

I'd be happy with half that from 6 plants. :)

[saddad]

I don't tend to get more than a couple of Crown Prince from each plant... but grow more plants.. still have three to start and the last one took four meals for four of us...
 ;D

[Jeannine]

Planting early and putting out large plants gives you a longer growing season and they will keep growing until the frost.

Allabout. May I ask what kind of squash you grew which gave you the yield you quoted

XX Jeannine

[crown princess]

I grew 2 Butternut squash plants last year on had 11 fruits.

Wow! I'm most jealous.

The pics of your plot are lovely.

[crown princess]

Planting early and putting out large plants gives you a longer growing season and they will keep growing until the frost.

Allabout. May I ask what kind of squash you grew which gave you the yield you quoted

XX Jeannine

Hi, my crown prince averaged 2 per plant, one managed 3 fruit (but at the cost of size in the final fruit to set), my mars was about the same again, on jespe de vende I had at least 3 fruit on each plant on some I had four (but found this variety lacking in taste compared to crown prince).  I had various others given and colected seeds of 'dubious' provenence but nothing as yet had been as tasty as crown prince.  This year I have bought in fresh seed and will be trying: thelma sanders, crown prince (of course), galeuse d' eysines, burgess buttercup, cornell's delicata, winter festival, and the seeds from a pretty little red onion shaped thing (donated by the woman next door!).  I'm so excited.
I've sown earlier this year so am hopefull of a longer season

[Jeannine]

The Buttercup and the Delicata are excellent, the pretty onion thing sounds like a Kuri. You have my 2 favourites in that trio , wuth the Buttercup running a very close third,so you should be happy.

'XX Jeannine