Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Digeroo on September 05, 2017, 10:01:18
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I have a nice butternut swelling and thought it belonged to my friend Barbara. So I checked out her root and gave her a pile of manure, some BFB and water, hoping for another nice big squash. Progress was slow. But then I realised that instead of getting darker the squash was getting paler and paler. It was not a Barbara at all.
I have no idea where the roots to the squash are, they are all jumbled up. And if Barbara has another fruit I certainly cannot find it. I took one off a couple of weeks ago, which is about 3 kg. So expected another one by now.
Then I found I have a small crown prince was rather disappointed. But then found I large one hiding, not sure how a missed a large almost blue squash.
And I have loads of Tromba d'Albenga, one is very dark green, and another has climbed over a compost bin so looks very amusing.
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When I plant squash out I stick a little bamboo stick next to it so I know where the root ball is. Easy to lose sight in among the canopy of leaves..
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When I plant squash out I stick a little bamboo stick next to it so I know where the root ball is. Easy to lose sight in among the canopy of leaves..
I did that too, then realised I should have stuck a big stick in. Small canes just got hidden by the big squash leaves.
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I always use a 3-4ft cane for a couple of reasons watering being one of them because I grow them by ring culture
Because I live in the wild and woolly north and are subject to unexpected late frosts I cover newly planted plants with homemade cloches and I grow them on the compost heap.
Again for a couple of reasons and they are: as the organic material rots it gives off a little bit of heat perhaps only 1or 2 degrees which might be just the difference of them surviving a little bit of cold weather.
The root system later moves into the organic material which is always moist meaning I rarely have to water them but sometimes I liquid feed them and this is where I need my marker canes.
If you look at the photo below the canes are holding my cloches in place and preventing them from blowing away in the high winds we sometimes get, so when I lremove my cloches I leave the canes in place and hey presto I have my marker canes so I know where to water when the top of my compost heap is just one big mass of leaves.
(http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Pumpkin/Pumpkin%20pics/42-Pumpkins%20&%20Courgettes.jpg)
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Some varieties root as they trail along the ground too? :happy7:
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Having had really slow start to my squash for last few years I will do like you next year Tee gee