Topic: Butternut squash climbing support.

[Weeds and Giggles]

I have seen a discussion on here from a while back now about growing Butternut squash up such things as trellis or even a trailer. I'm wondering if anyone's had any success growing them up a free-standing support. I have two plants in my garden...i put them in before i realised how much room they could potentially take up! I would like to grow them up a wigwam or obelisk of some sort. What do you think? Have you had any success doing this?

I'd also like to ask if it's ok to pinch out the shoots that are not directly contributing to a flower/fruit to keep the size down?

Thanks in advance!  :)

[Dirty Digger]

they're really better suited to growing on the ground, i suppose the only real option growing them upright is to make sure the fruit are properly supported, they can get pretty darned heavy. The rest of the plant could be supported on a trellis just keep the numbers of fruit down to a minimum (2 per plant).

[elvis2003]

i grew them last year up a cane trellis,i did support them by clothes pegging bits of hessian beneath them,and had 3/4 decent fruit off each (and a few duffers) this was inside my greenhouse

[Obelixx]

I always grow trailing pumpkins up trellis as it allows moire sun on the fruits for ripening.   You can pinch out the shoots once there are 3 or 4 fruits on each stem.

I don't see why you couldn't grow them up an obelisk or cane support as long as it's sturdy enough to take the weight.

[pigeonseed]

I've grown them up a bamboo canes (and an old clothes horse and a broken moses basket frame) and last year they climbed very well up that pea netting you can get, attached to bamboo canes.

When the fruit get very heavy, you can support them by tying old cloths/netting/bags, like a cradle under them. I was just cobbling it together with what I had, and it seemed to work ok.

I don't grow squash on the ground, because I think they get less slug damage when they're in the air. Well that's my theory! Plus they take up less valuable ground space.

I haven't grown butternut but I presume it's the same for all winter squash.

[vjm63]

I grew one outside last year in a corner which meant it sprawled over one way, and found the runner beans (which were against a fence) the other way and intertwined with them to support itself. That was not planned, but it seemed to work. I did not pinch out at all - and we must have got three big squashes from it, plus two or three smaller ones towards autumn. I must admit it was easier to find the squash on the support side as opposed to the sprawling side - and there was less slug damage.

I'm planning to something similar this year.

[kt.]

I know you want climbing support but have you thought about....  When growing on the ground, as it grows,  place the leader round and round itself in circles to create a spiral.  It may look like the crop circles so to speak but takes loads less room and is less invasive.

[Weeds and Giggles]

Some great replies, thank you very much! A fair bit to think about there. I might try one climbing and the other the spiral method. I may as well give both options a go.

Thanks again!

Weeds & Giggles

[pigeonseed]

Yes I've never thought of the spiral method. Might give it a go!

[shirlton]

I grew several varieties up a strong cane structure but they were not as productive as the ones I have grown on the ground. I think it was Jeannine(correct me if I'm wrong) who told me that they like to get their moisture from the ground as they go trailing along. I am going to try a few spirals on the ground so that we don't keep tripping over them. In fact I'm sure they can move cos they always seem to get hold of you as you go past them ;D