Topic: is it too early for sowing Butternut Harriers

[Bebushman]

Very new to growing veg but was wondering if it was too early to start sowing butternut indoors. The Packet say I can start but with the English the weather as it is, Any Advise welcome,
Aaron
 

[small]

I'm not a squash expert - I'm sure one will be along in  minute! - but I'd say, far too early, you can't put them out till risk of frost is past (assuming they are going outdoors?), I sow in April at the earliest. Where exactly are you, that helps with detailed advice......

[saddad]

Mid April...  :-X

[Bebushman]

Yeah sorry im in Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, would be sowing indoors, then to green house and was planning after the frost to plant at the allotment.
thanks again,
Aaron

[antipodes]

In UK you won't get those in open ground until at least mid May (earlier if you are growing in a greenhouse). They grow very fast! Once they have 3 or 4 leaves you are Ok to put them out! I now don't bother pre-growing. I direct sow in  May and they romp away. So I am thinking more around end of April!

[shirlton]

Heres a ryme that some one on here sent to me in 2006 when I first joined and I asked the very same question











 



Re: Squash tip
« Sent to: shirlton on: February 12, 2007, 17:29:31 »
 



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ahem, you can - why not? but IMO it would be better to wait as the old jingle goes



In February winds grow keen
Dunn'ee sow no squash nor bean!!!
March makes winds grow keen and rude, fer
Only spuds and Couve Tronchuda
April wavers false and fickle
Only fit for beetroot mickle*
May's the month thy squash to sow
Then June into your garden trow**

*mickle = a little sowing of beetroot, probably in the greenhouse, unlike a muckle, which would be a main outdoor sowing

** probably an archaic form of 'trowel' i.e. to use a trowel rather than simply 'to throw into the garden'



Hey, but what's life without a bit of experimentation eh?

[Ellen K]

Another poster on here talked about his Italian neighbour and the only 2 words of English he ever spoke before mid May:

"too early, too early".

It's the same with sweetcorn, you have to restrain yourself.  Still lots of other things you can be starting inside in the meantime.

[Chrispy]

Where did you get the seeds that the packet says you can sow now?

Most my squash seeds say sow April-May, my packet of Harrier says May-June.

If it is too cold when they go out, they will just sulk, and continue to sulk even when it has warmed up, so it is better to plant to late rather than too early, and now I have told somebody else that maybe I will remember it myself.

[galina]

Another poster on here talked about his Italian neighbour and the only 2 words of English he ever spoke before mid May:

"too early, too early".

It's the same with sweetcorn, you have to restrain yourself.  Still lots of other things you can be starting inside in the meantime.

Way too early ......

Sweetcorn is a funny plant.  Needs a lot of warmth for germination (especially the extra sweet varieties), but can tolerate a little bit of frost once planted out.  Not airfrost, but a shade of ground frost.  Whereas squash can germinate a little cooler, but the slightest bit of ground frost (at temperatures of +3 or +4C)  after being planted out will kill it.  Even with cloche protection squash that has been planted out too early can sulk for a long time and not make good growth.  The 'moschata' squashes (butternuts and co) are the most heat loving types.

I am sowing indoors/conservatory now: leeks, onions, lettuce and peas.  Some on A4A have started on peppers and even tomatoes, but I will wait another two weeks for indoor peppers and a little longer for indoor tomatoes.  

[galina]

Where did you get the seeds that the packet says you can sow now?

Most my squash seeds say sow April-May, my packet of Harrier says May-June.

If it is too cold when they go out, they will just sulk, and continue to sulk even when it has warmed up, so it is better to plant to late rather than too early, and now I have told somebody else that maybe I will remember it myself.

Sorry for saying exactly the same as you chrispy - was writing at the same time and hadn't read your post  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

We had several frosts in June last year, so you'd have had them in your greenhouse for a very long time, and they grow like mad. Early May is fine; you could put them in a couple of weeks earlier if you've got space to pot them on under cover. I wouldn't plant them any earlier.

[Kea]

One year I compared planting 1st June with two weeks later. Two weeks into June easily caught the ones planted earlier. I lost some of the early plantings and the plants sulked. So I usually plant end of April.

[green lily]

Yep put the packet away for now and if you're too bored and want to feel progress sow some chillies, onions, lettuce, broad beans, sweet peas, early peas. All of these will go into a propagator indoors or into the greenhouse to get you started. Have fun and leave the squash family until May.. ;D

[The-goodlife2012]

ive had chillis in since december they the ghost and they need an earley start