Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: gwynleg on July 28, 2016, 21:33:37
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HI - like many people, my squashes were really late to get going this summer. Some of them are still less than 1 foot long but one or two are valiantly sending out 'branches' all over the place. Usually I just let them do their own thing and have a good harvest, but I wondered whether I should aim to stop the growth after a couple of squashes have set on each plant? I know we still have some time but where are other people squashes at please?
I am in the southeast by the way.
Thanks
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Mine are mostly still growing. A few have set fruit, but most are behind. If you're in the southeast you've got a fair amount of time till the first frosts - a good 3.5 months so I wouldn't worry yet. Personally I don't trim squash vines, but this year the slugs have been doing it for me anyway. If you want big fruits, just remove the ones you don't want - the plant will need its leaves to grow the squash.
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I let mine roam where they want and if they set a lot of fruit (which they generally don't) then I give them a good feed. I find they tend to start slow and then explode with growth - mine are just at that stage where they are putting on lots of green growth and setting flower - so time for an inspection and feed. I am SE too so we should be fine even if they are smallish..
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mine have gone loopy this year i had a look today and must have 200 yes 200 4inch butternuts all doing well they are taking over they had a 20ft bed of their own well they are through that and then another 20ft of sweetcorn thru that then they reached my tomatoes i turn them around and now the are back to the runners beans 40 ft from where i turned them and turned them again back will take a pic this weekend they are really having a go this year all this from 10 plants the original bed was dug out last year and all my old beans sweetcorn stems squashes pumpkins and a bag of the old pigeon poo all put in a then covered back with earth then covered with 4" of leaf mould they have loved it hope this helps
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Wow Johnnyco, thats a lot of squashes!! Fantastic. Thanks to you and to Barriedale Nick and Sparrow for comments about this. I will leave my squashes to do their own thing, but am feeding them this year (normally plant them in well rotted manure and just water well). I will see what happens but hope I get a few (nowhere near 200 though!)
Thanks
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as promised this morning pic of said beasts
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had a look this evening and they are getting a good size now these are around 6" long if they stay on another two weeks i think they will harvest so fingers crossed sorry dont mean to hijack the thread :angel11: :angel11:
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Just looking on with envy Johhnyco!
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they have grown a bit in the last week