Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: ALAN HOWELL on May 17, 2004, 18:51:29
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Hi all,
How many fruits would you consider to be a reasonable amount for a Butternut Squash plant to carry ? :)....Alan
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Alan, I usually get around 4-5 fruits from each plant. I have no idea if this is normal or not!! I am sure there are others out there that will give you the proper norm!! ;D DP
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Don't quote me, but a chap on google got 79 from 2 vines!! = Tim
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Last year I planted two Butternut Squash plants. One had 2 large fruits and the other had 9 smallish fruits. Why I don't know but the smaller ones tasted a lot better.
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Last year i got the same as Dottie 4 to 5 and very nice they were too.
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So - did you give them the recommended 6 gal water/wk? And a regular high P feed?? = Tim
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Many thanks folks..I guessed perhaps 4-5 would be the limit,I got 4 per plant last year,they seemed to produce all male flowers for quite a considerable time,in fact I thought I was'nt going to get any fruits at all as it was close to Autumn :-\ ,anyway all ended happily pleased to say......Alan
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High P, Tim? K surely?
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Good to have a goalkeeper??
Forget what I said. I was quoting an American adviser. But I since see 2 other 'expert' quotes:
1. High N.
2. Low N
I resign!! Ours will just get seaweed sprays. 'Cos I love seaweed! = Tim
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Mine go in a 12" deep and 12" wide trench filled with manure. (I grow them upwards) They get a bucket of water in the trench every couple of days, and thats all they get!!! ;D Perhaps I should be feeding them more to get 79 fruits! Wow! :o
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I would believe the expert who says high N, Tim. With vines up to 4m long N is added as a side dressing here in July just as the plants start vining out.
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If that makes the damned tendrils any longer I shall resign again!!
Doris - that figure was for 2 vines, But I do see (Google again) that, in field trials, they averaged 25-35 per plant!! Remind me what you grow them up??
John - is that mainly because of your longer season??
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Couldn't wait for ideas - checked at centre & found £12.99 per each 'fan trellis'.
Came home, found some old moulding, and .......................is this a bit OTT? Or OK for the real trailers? It's close on 6'. Please - before I commit myself!! = Tim
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Looks brilliant to me Tim! ;D Mine are always rather Heath Robinson, with a frame made out of any old wood lying around,(like a goalpost) and usually by the end of the season wobbles rather precariously :o I make mine about 6 foot high, then cover with netting, or string. Yours looks far sturdier and superior!! I am jealous ;D (currently have a friend looking out for old scaffolding to make something more substantial for this year, but so far nothing :'() DP
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Hi y'all
Do you have to pinch out the growing shoots and side shoots and things like you are supposed to with cukes?
I just left it to trail on the ground one year and got no fruit at all despite the plant being about 10ft long in every direction! :'(
AC x
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Strange that no one seems to pontificate on that.
And summer or winter??
My contraption - any ideas for improving?? = Tim
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I would also like to see someone pontificate about that too, Tim. Here winter squashes are stuck in the ground and pretty much left to get on with it. Pruning off excess or late setting fruit in the U.K. climate I could understand but the point of restricting vegetative growth escapes me.
I would imagine that 4m vines may be due to our climate but AC comes close!
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I never bother to prune mine, but that is sheer laziness on my part! Though I do remove fruit towards the end, when you know they just are not going to make it!!
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Unlike melons, John, where you only allow one fruit per each of 4 stems.
I learn that daughter is growing winter squash. She goes in for variety rather than no. of fruit. In which case, to avoid the jungle, would it be detrimental to chop the shoots when they start impeding your access? ! = Tim
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Thats the beauty of growing upwards Tim, no vines on the floor to trip over ;D
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Thank you folks!
Tim your squash climbing frame looks the business - mine will have to manage with an 8' long piece of netlon supported with bamboo canes - might be interesting!
Strangest thing - squash and watermelon seeds that I thought had rotted off germinated yesterday in the scorching temperature in the greenhouse! I'd chucked them in the corner of the staging and forgotton about them. Now I have loads! Wonder if fellow plotties would be interested in receiving donations 8)
AC x
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We'll see!! = Tim
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Well, thanks mainly to the wonderful generosity of friends here, I've got winter, summer and ornamental gourds galore to accommodate !! ;D
So, decided to go vertical and invest in a couple of tubular steel rose arches !! 8ft high, 4ft span, 15" wide, and only £7 each ! Reckon I will try 4 or maybe even 6 plants to each ! ( Too many ?? ) All I need now is the sunshine!! ::)
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Where from MagpieD? Sounds like a deal to me!
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Hi AC !
A supermarket in Wallsend, Tyne & Wear called Kwik Save. Branches in Yorkshire too where I live, but could be just in the North, not sure ! Had them a couple of months now, not constructed yet, just waiting for teenage son to run out of excuses !! ::) ::)
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Sounds great value. = Tim
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Unlike melons, John, where you only allow one fruit per each of 4 stems.
I learn that daughter is growing winter squash. She goes in for variety rather than no. of fruit. In which case, to avoid the jungle, would it be detrimental to chop the shoots when they start impeding your access? ! = Tim
You do, Tim? Explain please.
You can chop squash vines if they get out of their alloted space, I've seen many mown or disc harrowed when they encroach where they are not wanted.
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1. Wicket keeper, maybe? First, I should have said 'cold frame growing'. Second, that we were always taught to limit to 4 branches, one to each corner. Third, there should have been my usual 'don't know' question mark to the number of fruit. 'Spose if you get more in the distance available, bully for you!
2. Oh, goodie!! = Tim