Topic: How are everyones squashes doing

[GrannieAnnie]

I would feel bound to try to out wit it but feel sure it is has all been done.I have wrapped in aluminum foil when a plant has had an accident and the stalk nearly broken through but that is all. I wonder if Saran Wrap might be doable. or the self clinging wrap you buy to put round thread reels to save the thread for tangling, that is only a couple of inches wide.

I think I would go after it with a preadatory  nematode personally.

It is something I need to eduacate myself about really as I know very little about the problems in some areas. It is on my list of to do's actually.whenever...whenever...

So pleased I don't have that problem.

XX Jeannine

Yes, be thankful you don't. I just picked a 6 lb "Sunshine" which looks more like an bright orange pumpkin and it also has a borer. I've read up on various ways to foil borers but all have a downside- mainly manually intensive. I guess I must use row covers next year on the susceptible varieties and then hand pollinate. We also have squash bugs that cause a different problem. ::) Makes me wonder why I'm doing this! Except, we're getting a bumper harvest of butternuts if all goes well so at least we'll have something to store and give away. Pity they aren't as sweet as "Sunshine."

I'm very eager to try those varieties you sent Jeannine. Perhaps some of those will be resistant. I'm tempted to try crossing Sunshine with Butternut.

[lottiedolly]

I have found a little delicata squash growing it is about 3" long, my husband came running over as he thought something was wrong as i had yelled so loudly. I have a butternut squash on my hunter and harrier plants now, and what i thought was a winter bush squash is a whitish pale green pattypan (seed mix up AGAIN!!!!!) I have my first trombocino and my uchi kuri's are quite laden, the largest being a little larger than a cricket ball. how big do they get? The gardening club had a trip around our allotments and everyone was commenting on my "weired squashes". I do not care if i am different, sometimes growing all of the bog standard stuff is boring, different is good!!!!  ;)

[jazzidoodle]

i have 3 atlantic giant at about golf ball size and a jack o lantern and thats a success for me last year i had one patty pan and no pumpkin keep your fingers crossed for me 

[Wilder]

my delicata is about 5inches long but ALL the leaves now have mildew so it's a waiting game really. Can see it getting any bigger :( My Crown Prince and Hooligan have quiet a few flowers but very little swellings. Don't know if I planted too late.

Patty Pan and Courgettes doing well :)

[GrannieAnnie]

my delicata is about 5inches long but ALL the leaves now have mildew so it's a waiting game really. Can see it getting any bigger :( My Crown Prince and Hooligan have quiet a few flowers but very little swellings. Don't know if I planted too late.

Maybe it would help you to box them in the way Allaboutliverpool does in his video:
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_squash_butternut.html
(I salivate watching his organized veggie garden!)
Some of our biggest butternuts are in a raised bed where the ground warms a bit faster.

[kypfer]

My Butternut has just today shown it's first female flower ... it'll be a few days before I know it's pollinated successfully ... I "introduced" a couple of male flowers to it to try and help things along. The plant never did take off like my Vegetable Spaghetti, not that they've been prolific, but at least they've set a couple of squash each ... here's hoping for a long mild autumn and a few more female flowers :)

[antipodes]

I am quite depressed as mine seem already to be dying back. I have watered them but it has been so ridiculously dry here... and everyone on teh site seems to have teh same problem. Actually I think they are a bit sick, the older leaves seem to be a little grey and start shrivelling up. But I have fruit on  many, the butternuts are pretty small, but I guess we will eat them anyway! Only the Tristar "folded" pumpkins ave done really well.

[tricia]

These are my Jarrahdale and Black Futsu today. Most of the foliage on the Jarrahdale is dying back, but the one fruit is still growing more than 1 cm per day, so I'll leave it on for a while yet - even though it is breaking out of the supporting net!

Tricia

[attachment=1][attachment=2]

[lottiedolly]

Oh Tricia, they look fab, you obviously are doing somthing right, i wont show my squashes the pictures of yours as they do not need an inferiority complex on top of their sluggish but thuggish behaviour  ;)

But in all honestly, well done, they do look fab  :)

[1066]

Well I had a census today on the plot - so far 30 squash of varying sizes, but some have been very slow to get going!

and Tricia - the Black Futsu is looking great  :)

[GrannieAnnie]

The Black futsu is unique looking- am wondering if the wrinkles plump out as it fattens?

[tricia]

I'm hoping the wrinkles are normal GranAnn! When the fruit starts to swell it is green and slightly ribbed. There are four that have turned almost black and are somewhat wrinkled but still not ripe.

Ah - have just googled 'black futsu image' and it seems it is normal for them to be wrinkled.

Tricia

[Jeannine]

They turn orange  XX Jeannine

[GrannieAnnie]

I hope when everyone harvests their squash they'll give their evaluation of the taste and texture of each variety.

[earlypea]

.....just a quick question, maybe a stupid one  ;)

Is it possible to train squashes to climb back down as well as up  ??? ;D

Only my QZ Blue has climbed to the top edge of the trellis and there's nowhere else for it to latch onto so it's waving around in the wind with feelers well above it.

[lottiedolly]

.....just a quick question, maybe a stupid one  ;)

Is it possible to train squashes to climb back down as well as up  ??? ;D

Only my QZ Blue has climbed to the top edge of the trellis and there's nowhere else for it to latch onto so it's waving around in the wind with feelers well above it.

Oooh good question, i am also interested in this as the squashes i have climbing are nearly to the top of the metal trellis.

Kx

[GrannieAnnie]

.....just a quick question, maybe a stupid one  ;)

Is it possible to train squashes to climb back down as well as up  ??? ;D

Only my QZ Blue has climbed to the top edge of the trellis and there's nowhere else for it to latch onto so it's waving around in the wind with feelers well above it.

Yes, squash seem quite productive going up or down and setting fruits high or low. We have some growing in odd places ;D

[Wilder]

thanks GrannieAnnie, I've bought some fleece and I'll try to construct some kind of fleece pollytunnel for them.
:)

[earlypea]

Just love the way these twin Trombas have grown up together, all entangled.  :D





Also, first Cossa sampled, wasn't too impressed, maybe need that recipe posted on another thread.

[1066]

those look fantastic EarlyPea!!! Well done you!

Have yet to try a Coussa........