News:

Picture posting is enabled for all :)

Main Menu

How many fruits?

Started by ALAN HOWELL, May 17, 2004, 18:51:29

Previous topic - Next topic

ALAN HOWELL

Hi all,
How many fruits would you consider to be a reasonable amount for a Butternut Squash plant to carry ? :)....Alan
I GOT A LOTTA LOTTIE

ALAN HOWELL

I GOT A LOTTA LOTTIE

Doris_Pinks

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
We don't inherit the earth, we only borrow it from our children.
Blog: http://www.nonsuchgardening.blogspot.com/

tim

Don't quote me, but a chap on google got 79 from 2 vines!! = Tim

DaveW

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.
Dave

budgiebreeder

Last year i got the same as Dottie 4  to 5 and very nice they were too.
Earth fills her lap with treasures of her own.

tim

So - did you give them the recommended 6 gal water/wk? And a regular high P feed?? = Tim

ALAN HOWELL

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
I GOT A LOTTA LOTTIE

john_miller

High P, Tim? K surely?

tim

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

Doris_Pinks

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
We don't inherit the earth, we only borrow it from our children.
Blog: http://www.nonsuchgardening.blogspot.com/

john_miller

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.

tim

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??

tim

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

Doris_Pinks

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
We don't inherit the earth, we only borrow it from our children.
Blog: http://www.nonsuchgardening.blogspot.com/

allotment_chick

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
Guardian of around 2,950 sq ft of the planet Earth

tim

Strange that no one seems to pontificate on that.
And summer or winter??

My contraption - any ideas for improving?? = Tim

john_miller

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!

Doris_Pinks

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!!
We don't inherit the earth, we only borrow it from our children.
Blog: http://www.nonsuchgardening.blogspot.com/

tim

#18
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

Doris_Pinks

Thats the beauty of growing upwards Tim, no vines on the floor to trip over ;D
We don't inherit the earth, we only borrow it from our children.
Blog: http://www.nonsuchgardening.blogspot.com/

Powered by EzPortal