Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: chriszog on May 06, 2005, 08:35:00
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Hi All,
I am having problems with germination, tried on the boiler....too dark, didnt appear. Tried in the greenhouse.....too cold? didnt appear.
Now have the last of the seeds on the windowsill. Still no sign after 10 days. The seeds were purchased new this season from Thompson and Morgan. Ive never grown them before and would welcome any advice
Regards
Chriszog
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Best method is to chit the seeds. With squashes and the like this means putting the seed between layers of (permanently) moist tissue and keeping them at about 20c (70F) for a couple of days. This allows the moisture to penetrate the seed which will swell slightly and start the growing process.
Push them into 3" pots using John Innes No1 compost to a depth of 3/4" and keep them at a temp of at least 18C (65F).
It takes about 5 weeks to produce a plant ready for going out so if you start now you're just about in time.
Good luck.
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I'm having trouble with mine too. Have now put them in a heated propagator without the lid on and watered them from the bottom as they were drying out as they've been in the pots for about a week. I have no squashes showing at all and I am beginning to worry :(
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Hi all :D
The squash family do seem a bit problematical (what a big word ;D ) when it comes to germination, I have 3 different sorts, crown prince (courtesy of Gardeners World) , butternut, & blue kuri, I sowed them in 3 1nch peat pots with moist compost, they were put in the heated propogator & only half of them have germinated . A 50% rate is not very good compared to what I would normally get from other seeds. I have now sown some more & am using a different method, these have gone into 3 inch plastic pots, covered with cling film & left on a bedroom windowsill, I will let you know how they get on ::)
Adrian.
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Glad to see I'm not the only having problems with this! So far there's not been a peep from my butternut or Turk's Turban. No probs with Golden Apple, Jack be Little or the mystery pumpkin seeds donated by a pal down the allotments.
I'll have to try the chitting method with the last few seeds once I get home from work tonight. Fingers crossed.
Clare
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I grew butternut squashes last year and again this year and I haven't had any problems with the seeds germinating. I'm afraid I can't remember what varieties they are. Last year I planted the seeds directly outside, probably in May although I can't remember exactly (haven't got the hang of keeping an allotment diary yet!). I had them under plastic bottle cloches. I did get some squashes on them too.
This year I planted seeds in toilet rolls about 2 weeks ago, on my windowsill, and I think they've all germinated and starting to grow their first true leaves. Will be planting them out as soon as I've finished digging a new space for them.
I actually ate the last of last years crop a couple of weeks age, so they're great for keeping.
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I have a few different ones on windowsills at the mo (thanks DP!!!) and about half have germinated, all those on the warmer windowsill, so the ones that have erminated I've swapped with the ones that haven't fingers crossed the others will germinate too!
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Mine curbumbits all germinated at an ok rate this year.
I sowed 8 courgette seeds, 6 germinate (2 for mum). 4 out of six patty pans and two out of two butternuts. Considering the butternuts were last year's seeds but the rest were new, I don't think that's bad going.
I sowed them singly in a 24(?) module tray. In the heated prop until they'd popped through. Then I turned it off.
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Last year, for a project that my group was running, I sowed 10 varieties of squash plus 1 marrow variety, a cucumber and a gherkin. Approx 10 seeds of each - they were in my home made propagator in the GH the min temp around 20 degrees - everyone except the butternut (which was old seed) germinated!
I'm surprised they didn't germinate on the boiler - light has nothing to do with the initial germination - maybe they were too warm/wet/dry. The chitting definitely works - with lots of plants,
This year I'm down to a total of 80 for a plant sale at the end of the month they are starting in 2 trays with 40 module dividers in each. A careful check after 4 days showed roots appearing quite well.
Phil
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My butternut took 5 days to show,i had no problems with germinating,they are now in pots outside
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I've never managed to germinate any T&S seeds.
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I'm sorry, you've never managed to germinate any what seeds?
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What are T & S seeds??
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I just bunged mine in!
I sowed them on Sunday, so I'll wait and see what happens.
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What are T & S seeds??
Oops, so sorry :o
I meant T & M (See Chriszog's original post).
This is my first year with squashes.
I used plastic bell cloches to warm the soil for a week,
then sowed one seed under each cloche 8 days ago.
First one germinated yesterday.
Beginners luck?
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my butternuts are a no show too.....got my big orange ones going.....also gherkins,melons,cucs,lemon and green.........but no squashes :( :'(
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Do you reckon it's worth saving seed from supermarket squash. I seem to remember that someone said they wouldn't work at all, others said they wouldn't come tru. Now I'm confused ........
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I usually get good germination from squashes in a cold frame but neither they nor my sweet corn have done well this year. I think it's just the cold weather. I've got enough outdoor cucumbers though, I bought some pumpkin plants, and I'll buy some sweet corn in a couple of weeks. It's not how I like to do it, but no help for it.
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Baggy,
They should germinate (and grow) but the results are a bit unpredictable as they may be F1 hybrids which don't breed true or cross pollinated which make produce something brilliant (or not so brilliant).
As they are free why not live on the edge and try some - long live the sport of extreme allotmenteering!! :D
Phil
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my butternuts haven't germinated at all, but my other squashes have, probably a good thing, i think i got a bit carried away...
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All of my squashes have done fantastically well, but still struggling to get my pumpkins to germinate. Going to give it one more try. :( busy_lizzie
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Baggy,
They should germinate (and grow) but the results are a bit unpredictable as they may be F1 hybrids which don't breed true or cross pollinated which make produce something brilliant (or not so brilliant).
As they are free why not live on the edge and try some - long live the sport of extreme allotmenteering!! :D
Phil
I'm with Phil on this - I saved a few seeds from a supermarket bn squash, and have 9x plants ready to be planted (and/or given to friends). Dunno what they'll come out like, but my guess is that it'll be something not too far removed from a "normal" butternut squash.
Extreme allotmenteering :D. Nice idea.
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All of my squashes have done fantastically well, but still struggling to get my pumpkins to germinate. Going to give it one more try. :( busy_lizzie
BL mine are the other way around, pumpkins romping along, very little on the squash front! :'(
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anyone want to swap a butternut for either a pumpkin or a gherkin...i'm willing(as the actress said......)
pm me anyone...
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WOOOOHOOOOO !!! Extreme lottying. I like to live life on the edge - daredevil me. ;D
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one or two of my squashes have refused to show, pumkins are great though, cucumbers and courgettes are rubbish, in fact im of on a mission to plant more tonight!!! im goint to keep them in the kitchen this time!!! That will please the ole man!!!! bless him.
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your welcome to one or two of my squashes if you like, How do i send them without damaging them???
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thats kind of you what would you like in return?
courgettes?
melon?
you can send plants wrapped in wet kitchen roll(carefully not crushing the leaves tooooo much!)then in newspaper....and a plastic bag-finally put in box.....
pm me with your address and which plants you'd like!
kitty ;D
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Sorry kitty whats your address please? im new to all this posting lark!!!!
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courgettes would be great, whatever im not fussy, cheers sarah.
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okey dokey!
check your personal messages luv!
kitty :)
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obviously they heard me complaining as a butternut popped up overnight!!
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I think these squashes and pumpkins aren't the doddle to germinate they're made out to be. That or we're all inept ;D Has anyone out there got a Marina di Chioggia. I got a couple from Loz and sowed em. I have one to my pal and his is doing great. Guess what's happened to mine? Sweet FA! It's the one I most wanted to succeed too :( if anyone has a few seeds I'd be dead chuffed and can give you something in return ;D
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Oh dear im worried now. sowed 15 individual pots of butternut squash seeds that i got free with GYO mag this month, they have been in the greenhouse for 7 days and not a sign. However i have had a fantastic result with my 'Halloween' pumpkin seeds, out of 24 sown in pots 22 have germinated and are now about 4-5 inch's high, only hope they grow as well and as fast when planted out next month. Ive probably got too many of the 'Halloween' ones so if anyone lives in Doncaster or Worksop id glady donate some, i think i could spare 10 plants if anyones interested?
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Deep joy! Big sturdy pumpkin shoot rearing it's head this morning when I looked. At last!! ;D busy_lizzie
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How much fruit can reasonably be expected from a single Butternut plant?
So far that's all I've got. :(
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I only got two squashes off my one butternut last year - one big and one smaller one. I don't know if that's normal though. It was in a 9" pot so maybe that was the reason. I suspect they like plenty of growing room. I have some more this year and will treat them with more respect. Have you seen the price of em in the shops :o
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Plant squashes out with loads of room; they go all over the place and need it. A couple of plants will probably give you all you need.
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Sowed 3 x halloween pumpking - 3 popped up
Sowed 6 x spaghetti squash for first time - 4 popped up
Sowed 6 x avalon butternut squash for 1st time - F.A. so far!!
All seed were planted on the same day & treated identically.
Considereing the two squashes were from T & M & cost nearly two quid for 12 of each seed I'm a bit bloody disappointed!!! I may be new to gardening but I don't think I'm that inept.
What makes me most angry is the butternut is the one I really, really wanted to grow 'cos I've never had it before.
CC
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CC - I got some free with the GYO mag, I've sown three - you can have the rest if you like. I've got some more coming from plants of distinction.
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Thanks sarahr
I do still have some seed left. I'm doing a 2nd sowing of the butternut squash next week to see what happens.
Knowing my luck the first lot will then pop up along with the 2nd lot. If they do I'll count my lucky stars, I saw the price of a small butternut squash at my local morrisons & nearly fainted!!! At those prices I'll be over the moon just to get one grown.
CC
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Butternut squash 99p each at lidls. I didn't think that was tooooo bad as sainbs had them for 1.99 !!!!
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i've never been to sainsburys-oh has and says its v. expensive.....i wonder if all supermarkets use the same suppliers and some just make a killing.....
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there is a supermarket hierarchy but most of the veg comes from the same place - for example when sorting spuds marks and spencers got the best, sainsbury's the next best, tesco the next etc etc.
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Still no sign of my BNS, or the courgettes for that matter - after 7 days. Both were free with GYO.
How long did everyone's take?
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Finally.......four of the six butternut's I sowed have popped up whilst I've been away for the weekend.
I put a propogator lid on them & moved them to the gro-house to give them better light & up they've popped. I still have hopes for the missing two.
How many fruits can I expect per plant by the way?
CC
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I have sown some of the ones that were free with, G.Y.O. I was`nt having any luck, until i put them on the radiator, and now they are just showing through the compost.( I have lent my propagator to a friend) I have sown seed from pumpkins and squashes bought from supermarkets and they have always grown well.
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Hello Baggy,
I saved seeds from a supermarket butternut squash, I chited them first between damp tissue, and then potted them up and almost immediately they shoved up two strong leaves, they look really healthy. But I suppose I will have to wait until they fruit, fruit? to see if they are any good. Unless there's someone out there who knows different?.......
Katy
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;D I'd like to try these, is it too late to sow? or when is it too late to sow? ;D
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The GYO courgettes are up and there is a distinct bump in the butternut squash soil, so I'm hoping for some little green pointy bits tomorrow.
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Get them in now Roy and keep 'em warm. With the way the seasons are shaping up, you will be harvesting them in the heatwave of October!
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;D Cheers Emma ;D ready for my birthday then 8)
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Another one popped up yesterday!
That's 2 out of 16 then.
The rest should be ready for next year... :-\
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I didn't get the BNS with my issue but am growing the courgettes and they are just developing their third jagged leaves (they seem to be slowing down a bit though).
Did the whole packet and they all came up ok. Gave some away but kept 2 as i dont have enough room.
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Three out of sixteen now!!
Me thinks a bit of bottom heat on 'em next year. ::)
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We didn't have a problem germinating the BNS seeds from GYO - just stuck them in some compost and left them on the kitchen windowsill. Planted them out a couple of weeks ago and although they looked really good then, they look really sad now despite lots of watering ... we'll have to wait and see how they go, maybe this warmer weather will help (if it lasts)
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We didn't have a problem .... just stuck them in some compost and left them on the kitchen windowsill....
That's the trouble with some people, they just don't take gardening seriously :D
Phil