Topic: Good year for butternuts

[GrannieAnnie]

If they still have green stripes - does that mean they wont store well?
Thanks

From what I've read they should be left outside til there are no green stripes. Some of mine had faint 1.5-2" stripes at the stem end. We'll eat those first, also any with damaged areas.

[gwynleg]

Thanks GrannieAnnie. I dont know if I am alone in finding previous postings on this very offensive and something that has no place in a website like this

[qahtan]

 Both Gerry and I smiled at the loving care shown to your Butternut squash.

 I called the farmer where we get ours and he said he only had Buttercup. .
 Said his Butternut and Hubbard's did nothing this year, And Karen said there is a bit of a shortage of Pumpkins also this year they are being all over.
 Good job I always use canned pumpkin for my pie....
 Pumpkin pie, yum.
 Made 5 1/2 pound mincemeat yesterday. qahtan

[1066]

gwynleg - I'm sorry if you have been offended. I think it was a genuine mistake, and watching him try to extricate himself from the mistake made me giggle. I'm sure no offence was meant, and I know I hate to think of offence caused. Sorry.

And GarannieAnnie - sorry that your lovely post has gone awry  :)

1066

[angle shades]

 :) anyway! , my butternuts are absolutely rubbish this year, so dead jealous of everyone elses on here / shades x

[GrannieAnnie]

For those who are feeling badly about their poor butternut crop, bear in mind I'm in the hot-weathered US which helps with some crops (and is detrimental with some others.) I was in a quandry about whether to even post the picture, but then decided since my last year's harvest (ONE squash) was so deplorable, it might be encouraging to others to see this years.

Part of the differences: I planted them in multiple areas so see where they work the best-
up fence,
up shrubs,
up a trellis with clematis,
under some tall evergreens in partial shade,
in almost full sun,
mulched,
unmulched,
on top of black plastic,
with and without compost
on top of last years partially decompsed leaves.

[1066]

GrannieAnnie - so what was the conclusion to your extensive and oh so scientific research?!

[GrannieAnnie]

GrannieAnnie - so what was the conclusion to your extensive and oh so scientific research?!

  My conclusions? 

More plants = more squash.

                                    AND

Despise not small things. A small squash is better than NO squash.

[amphibian]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y253/nonrancher/Butternutshanginround.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y253/nonrancher/Butternutshanginround.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y253/nonrancher/Butternutshanginround.jpg

I am pretty sure that hanging squash by the stem will shorten their storage considerably. The stem is the most likely point of entry for decay, pulling it away from the body will accelerate this.

[GrannieAnnie]

Thanks for the warning. I'm hoping that the dried 1 inch plus stems won't fall off and that the chlorox treatment will help kill off the mold/bacterial attack. Do the stems break off? They seemed very tough when I drilled a hole for the wire loop/paper clip.

We shall see. The stems that were part green I can believe might be a problem but I'm keeping a close eye on my babies. If worse happens, we'll be eating a whale of a lot of squash in a hurry!

[amphibian]

Stems can detach, personally I never lift a squash by the stem. Once a stem comes off the squashes days are numbered so eat them quick if this happens.

[twinkletoes]

I did really well this year for BS.  I put out 4 plants and got back 21 BS.  My largest one was 7lb 4oz (3.4 kg).  It is a whoppa and I am very pleased with myself  ::)   Also got loads (haven't counted yet) of musque de provence). They are in between orange and dark green - will they go completely orange or am I going to lose them because they haven't ripened?
twinkletoes

[GrannieAnnie]

I did really well this year for BS.  I put out 4 plants and got back 21 BS.  My largest one was 7lb 4oz (3.4 kg).  It is a whoppa and I am very pleased with myself  ::)   Also got loads (haven't counted yet) of musque de provence). They are in between orange and dark green - will they go completely orange or am I going to lose them because they haven't ripened?
twinkletoes

Twinkletoes, do you prune the ends of the vines after they get 5 squash growing or just let them run?  7 lb+  !!  Was that grown in 7 feet of pure compost??  Good job :D. Also, were the stems able to go completely brown before harvesting?

[twinkletoes]

No GA - the stems were not all dried up (but they are now) - I harvested them before that happened (was a bit worried there might be light fingered interlopers around). I also got about 6 baby blue hubbard and about 10 red kuri.  About 5 sweet dumpling and 3 or 4 delicata.  I didn't do anything to the land. I was just using half of someone else's plot (they had recently had a baby and were not going to be able to cultivate this season so rather than give the plot up or lose it because it was unkept, I volunteered to use half of it  ;D). I just cleared the weeds and put the plants in - kept well watered and that was it. Didn't put any manure or other fertilisers down. Didn't pick off the growing tips and just left them to wander. So just pure luck eh?  8)
twinkletoes

[1066]

GrannieAnnie - so what was the conclusion to your extensive and oh so scientific research?!

  My conclusions? 

More plants = more squash.

                                    AND

Despise not small things. A small squash is better than NO squash.

 ;D
Ok so if you take your theory about a small squash is better than no squash - then does it apply to my 1 and only (photo taken yesterday !!!  ::)  ::)  ::)

[attachment=1]

[GrannieAnnie]

GrannieAnnie - so what was the conclusion to your extensive and oh so scientific research?!

  My conclusions? 

More plants = more squash.

                                    AND

Despise not small things. A small squash is better than NO squash.

 ;D
Ok so if you take your theory about a small squash is better than no squash - then does it apply to my 1 and only (photo taken yesterday !!!  ::)  ::)  ::)

[attachment=1]

Yes. It would seem you have a nice Fall ornament for your table centerpiece!

I was sorry to hear some of the UK had a difficult season for growing. So next year will be your year for buckets of butternuts.

[1066]

GA

 ;D  ;D  ;D

Oh well, next year .......

[chriscross1966]

:) anyway! , my butternuts are absolutely rubbish this year, so dead jealous of everyone elses on here / shades x

Try Hunter, not the biggest squash going and shape can vary a lot from the classic style but my crop came from four plants (there was a fifth but it got obliterated in a hail storm) and they got no real husbandry after planting out apart from being watered once a couple of weeks later... that said they all grew on little piles of manure through holes in weedmulch plastic.....

chrisc

[chriscross1966]

Recipe:

Whale stuffed with squash:

Take one whale, clean through reserving liver and heart as giblets for gravy.
Stuff with 1 whale of squash
Roast on a medium heat for 3 1/2 days or to taste, until an 8-foot carving knife comes out clear.
Plate up with gravy made from giblets reserved above.

Serves 3-4 small villages
Recommended wine: Zinfandel; Beer: Guinness


:D

Thanks for the warning. I'm hoping that the dried 1 inch plus stems won't fall off and that the chlorox treatment will help kill off the mold/bacterial attack. Do the stems break off? They seemed very tough when I drilled a hole for the wire loop/paper clip.

We shall see. The stems that were part green I can believe might be a problem but I'm keeping a close eye on my babies. If worse happens, we'll be eating a whale of a lot of squash in a hurry!