Basic Squash Advice

[rutters]

I'm trying butternut squash for the first time and I need some basic info..here goes..

Does 1 seed produce 1 fruit?
How much room do they need?
Do they need supporting?
Any other special treatment (soil type etc.)?

I did have some other Q's but forgotten them for now ::)

Any info much appreciated.

cheers

[rutters]

[Mrs Ava]

1 seed could produce half a dozen fruits as they grow on a vine.  I don't know how much room they need, but they do like to creep and do take up quite a lot of space.  You can grow them up a frame work, but it needs to be strong as the fruits can get heavy, and you may need to support the fruits with nets as they grow to stop them snapping off the stems.  They like good moisture retentive soil, plenty of good organic matter dug in, and if poss, a good dollop of rotted manure into the planting hole, back filled with soil, then the plant in the top of that.  However, they are incredibly tender and you won't want to be planting them out for a while yet.  A cold night and you will loose them.  Hope this helps.  ;D

[rutters]

thanks very much for the info :D

[Jeannine]

Wee bit more advice.Besides planting too soon and too small. the biggest error is made with overcrowding. If you are stingy with space you will get poor yields. Too much foliage  with plants squished together makes for competition for light  and competition for food too, this will reduce the number of female flowers,and thus the number of fruits,and the fruits that do form will be of poorer quality.
Ideally there should be 10-12 feet in all directions for the vining  winter squash and 5-6 feet for the  summer or bush types, however there are few of us that live in an ideal world and can afford that much space. I have to plant mine in rows 6 feet apart with 3 feet between each plant for winter squash like your butternut, Summer squash can get by with less,rows 3 feet apart but I still give 3 foot spacings to the plants. I get good yeilds with big fruit. However if I was growing the really big squash that can grow 20 pounds I would then  opt for the bigger  12 foot spacing.


If your ground has a tendency to waterlog make mounds or hills with the earth and plant your squash plants on that. If not they are OK planted on the flat ground. I plant mine in a little depression and then earth up as they grow, I find this gives them a good anchor for their roots. Emma Jane has given you excellent advice re soil

I plant my plants out only when very large, they are in gallon pots by that time.

Good Luck. Squash are my passion so welcome to the squash gang, there are many of us.

XX Jeannine

[Jitterbug]

Jeannine

When would you start your seeds off in a cold greenhouse.  I have gem squash and green hubbard squash and butternut.

Also a tip on supporting squash, melon etc. is use old bra's.  They work like a bomb - alto they might cause a few comments to be passed on the lottie :-[ ;D :o

Jitterbug

[Jeannine]

Well Jitterbug, mine certainly would, I could sling watermelons in mine!!

Sweetie my plants are up but bear in mind I plant early under light and with heat,I need to do this with some kinds I grow as the growing season is long.

Many books will tell you to plant straight into the ground but they are based on US growing times which is not here unless you are in a very warm pocket.

Plant them now , don't soak the seed, keep the soil damp but not wet or they will rot,optimum temp for germination is 65-95f under that and they will rot, over that and they will die from heat.  You can use a propogater just until they are showing.Or you can pre chit the seeds on damp paper in the airing cupboard and plant them.They want light as soon as they emerge though.I plant in large Jiify pellets, but in a pot will do.Plant them singly though. Room temp will do just fine.

Gem is Pepo family, more compact and  they mature earlier. butternut is Moschata family, long spreading vines, take longer to mature. if you have baby green hubbard it is more compact and matures quicker than  original  green hubbard, however both are maxima and again have long vines,take about the same time to mature as pumpkins.

Jitterbug, you have made a good choice, the three you have will not cross pollinate with each other, well done!!!


Don't be afraid of them, thay are easy to grow,just don't rot the seeds.

XX Jeannine

[allaboutliverpool]

I have just added a Butternut Squash page to my site especially for you.
It was my first go and was highly successful. Unfortunately I did not have any shots of the plants developing but will rectify this this year.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_squash_butternut.html