Author Topic: How are your squash doing? (Read 19341 times)

Jayb · « **on:** July 16, 2015, 13:29:18 »

I didn't plant mine out until the 18th of June and after a slow start with the weather being so cold the plants are now coming on alright. But they do seem very slow to start flowering and so far only male flowers except for the variety Bylinka which is currently the star of the show and each plant has a couple of little fruits forming. Also butternut Sonka had its first female flowers yesterday and some more today. Hopefully the start of many!

Baby Bylinka

johhnyco15 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2015, 14:22:54 »

i aint really checked on mine ill take a peak tomorrow and post some picks the cold nights in june did hold them back and as this is the dryest part of the country no rain and chilli nights dont do well for squashes must check and have a look

Deb P · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2015, 16:28:59 »

I also didn't plant my squash out until June and they are really only just getting going really. Some are flowering but haven't put on much leafy growth as yet. Hopefully they will appreciate all the muck they have been planted in!

tricia · « **Reply #3 on:** July 16, 2015, 16:57:05 »

I was about to ask the same thing Jayb! But my plants are behaving the opposite to yours

. I'm growing Winter and Waltham butternuts and Autumn Crown and all three varieties have produced several female flowers but as yet not a single male. Such a shame as I don't think there are any veggie plots in the neighbourhood, let alone anyone growing squashes so it will be a miracle if any of them have been fertilized. The Winter squash plants have female embryos at almost every leaf axle but very few male buds. We've had very little rain here - it's just been very dull and overcast so I've been watering twice a week. The plants are growing like mad - I'm already taking out the growing tips where they have reached the top of the obelisks! Must take a look at last year's photos to see if they are as far behind as I think they are.

Tricia

astraman1 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2015, 20:43:28 »

planted mine (butternut) late may frost hit them so killed them off i resowed and an allotment friend gave me some of his spares there coming on abit now about 4 ft long and getting some flowers starting to form no fruit yet tho

Jayb · « **Reply #5 on:** July 16, 2015, 22:20:35 »

Quote from: tricia on July 16, 2015, 16:57:05

I was about to ask the same thing Jayb! But my plants are behaving the opposite to yours . I'm growing Winter and Waltham butternuts and Autumn Crown and all three varieties have produced several female flowers but as yet not a single male. Such a shame as I don't think there are any veggie plots in the neighbourhood, let alone anyone growing squashes so it will be a miracle if any of them have been fertilized. The Winter squash plants have female embryos at almost every leaf axle but very few male buds. We've had very little rain here - it's just been very dull and overcast so I've been watering twice a week. The plants are growing like mad - I'm already taking out the growing tips where they have reached the top of the obelisks! Must take a look at last year's photos to see if they are as far behind as I think they are.

Tricia

Snap I'm growing a couple of Waltham butternuts and Autumn Crown

It's wackie isn't it. Although I planted out at the same time my butternuts and other moschata are a little behind the winter squash, most haven't started flowering yet, except for the Sonka squash, I think there are 4 or 5 of them and they all have only had female flowers, luckily I have managed to find a couple of male flowers to hand pollinate the first few flowers, fingers crossed for them. But now there doesn't look like there will be any male flowers on any of them for a while, what a waste!

With the winter squash, only Bylinka has had female flowers - no males, everything else has been male all the way!

Let us know how this years are comparing to last years.

Quote from: Deb P on July 16, 2015, 16:28:59

I also didn't plant my squash out until June and they are really only just getting going really. Some are flowering but haven't put on much leafy growth as yet. Hopefully they will appreciate all the muck they have been planted in!

Mine just sat for a little while as it was still quite cold when they went out. I bet they are going to be having a party very soon

I've really noticed a difference these last few days, I think for mine they must be liking this wet muggy weather.

Jayb · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2015, 22:23:48 »

Quote from: astraman1 on July 16, 2015, 20:43:28

planted mine (butternut) late may frost hit them so killed them off i resowed and an allotment friend gave me some of his spares there coming on abit now about 4 ft long and getting some flowers starting to form no fruit yet tho

Sorry you lost your earlier sowings, it's always a bit of a gamble when to sow/plant. Sounds like your second sowing are about where mine are now.

Silverleaf · « **Reply #7 on:** July 17, 2015, 01:01:29 »

I forget, I think my squash went out in late May. I have some little fruits forming but only one female flower has opened so far - also with no males open. :(

My plants look really good though, to my inexperienced eyes. 6 are in straw bales, 4 in a manure heap. I have Amber Cup, Georgia Candy Roaster, Potimarron, Black Futsu, Thelma Sanders, and a mystery maxima from seeds I saved years ago but didn't label (I suppose they could have been from a supermarket pumpkin or something) which will be a complete surprise.

I think I've only attempted to grow winter squash once before - Burgess Buttercup, which really didn't do well - so this is all quite new to me. It'd be lovely to get a nice harvest for the winter.

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2015, 09:06:03 »

Well the plants are doing well but there isn't much fruit - got one massive plant but it is yet to produce anything to eat..

small · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2015, 09:54:23 »

I've not had a single flower yet on squash, courgette or outdoor cucumber. I'm still hopeful for the courgette and cucumber, but I can't see any squash managing to ripen if they even appear. There's always next year....I'm seriously considering a polytunnel, I presume that would help...

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #10 on:** July 17, 2015, 10:26:12 »

On the other hand my courgettes have gone nuts! Must have had 20-30 already off 2 plants.

johhnyco15 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2015, 13:18:24 »

ok as promised i had a look today and there doing good around a dozen the size of the butternut in pic and around 30 or so smaller the red kuri around 4 the pic size and another 8 or so smaller

caroline7758 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2015, 17:47:24 »

Courgettes and pumpkins are getting going now but the only two butternuts I managed to germinate are looking very sad.

sparrow · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2015, 20:57:48 »

I did 2 sowings - one in April and one in late May/early June. The later plants look much better than the earlier ones, but don't have fruit on yet.

From the early ones I've got a few fruits already coming: 1 Shishigatani, 3 Black Futsu, 1 Burgess Buttercup, 3 Berretina Piacentina, 3 Small Sugar, 4 Potimarron and 1 Marina di Chioggia. On top of that I also have BNS, Iran, Geraumon Martinique, Sweet Dumpling, Jarrahdale, Flat White and Tromba di Albenga coming along nicely. 22 plants in total.

Melons are doing really well outside too - I have 4 watermelons set, and the Kajari melons don't look that far behind.

While it makes up for some of my failures this year so far, I'm a bit scared of this Autumn's harvest...

astraman1 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 19, 2015, 20:54:42 »

had a look through them today potentially 4 butternut fruits growing think one has definitely been pollinated

kt. · « **Reply #15 on:** July 19, 2015, 22:34:24 »

I have harvested 1x courgette from Green Bush. The Harrier butternut squash are about 3ft length, plenty of green but no squash yet. Last year Butterboy was my first real success with butternut squash. The plants this year a very healthy green about 2ft diameter and they certainly look ahead of Harrier. All 5 plants were planted outside in June with 1/3rd of a barrow of manure dug under each. No flowers yet though but doing really well.

Jayb · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:45:13 »

Quote from: johhnyco15 on July 17, 2015, 13:18:24

ok as promised i had a look today and there doing good around a dozen the size of the butternut in pic and around 30 or so smaller the red kuri around 4 the pic size and another 8 or so smaller

They look good, way ahead of mine

What variety of butternut are you growing?

Jayb · « **Reply #17 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:45:32 »

Quote from: sparrow on July 17, 2015, 20:57:48

I did 2 sowings - one in April and one in late May/early June. The later plants look much better than the earlier ones, but don't have fruit on yet.

From the early ones I've got a few fruits already coming: 1 Shishigatani, 3 Black Futsu, 1 Burgess Buttercup, 3 Berretina Piacentina, 3 Small Sugar, 4 Potimarron and 1 Marina di Chioggia. On top of that I also have BNS, Iran, Geraumon Martinique, Sweet Dumpling, Jarrahdale, Flat White and Tromba di Albenga coming along nicely. 22 plants in total.

Melons are doing really well outside too - I have 4 watermelons set, and the Kajari melons don't look that far behind.

While it makes up for some of my failures this year so far, I'm a bit scared of this Autumn's harvest...

Love your list

Is Berretina Piacentina the one from Seeds of Italy? They look scrummy http://www.seedsofitaly.com/PUMPKIN_BERRETTINA_PIACENTINA/p1834925_8313226.aspx

Thanks for the lovely seeds, Portimarron and Black Futsu I'm growing are looking good, both are growing well, just waiting for some fruits! I think Black Futsu will be a little while yet.

clumsy · « **Reply #18 on:** July 21, 2015, 13:13:37 »

I've been harvesting these over the last 2 weeks. Plus there are other courgette's which are still growing.

sparrow · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2015, 09:31:56 »

Quote from: Jayb on July 21, 2015, 10:45:32

Love your list
Is Berretina Piacentina the one from Seeds of Italy? They look scrummy http://www.seedsofitaly.com/PUMPKIN_BERRETTINA_PIACENTINA/p1834925_8313226.aspx

Thanks for the lovely seeds, Portimarron and Black Futsu I'm growing are looking good, both are growing well, just waiting for some fruits! I think Black Futsu will be a little while yet.

They are - I have plenty of seeds if you want to try them. Seeds of Italy are so generous with theirs.

The Black Futsus are in the sunniest spot on my plot and get regular encouragement to go visit all the lovely free rambling space under the sweetcorn. I hope they do well for you. :) One of my Potimarrons has developed a split stem so I don't think I will get more than one fruit from that vine.

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Author Topic: How are your squash doing? (Read 19341 times)