Sowing squashes direct

[aquilegia]

I have never managed to grow squashes. But last year (in my lovely new and improved bigger garden) a volunteer butternut grew in the compost I'd dug into the flower bed. It produced about 6 squashes, weighing a total of over 10lb. The biggest was over 3lb.

I'd like to attempt to repeat this happy accident this year and sow some direct. When's the right time to sow them and how? I'm in the South East.

[aquilegia]

[FennelandFern]

You'd need to start them off under cloches if you wanted a big crop...maybe try start of May, depending on the weather. Just make sure you protect them for the first few weeks....you could use an old coffee jar, which would keep them nice and warm and also keep those nasty slugs out of the way...

[Sparkly]

I grew 'red kuri' really successfully by direct sowing. I do tend to usually grow them by starting them in the greenhouse though. Started mine off today.

[Jeannine]

It is better if you can seed them in the ground but the UK weather makes it difficult..it is not the cold  in the beginning , you can wait till the ground warms up, but you will have a shorter season than squash likes so unless you can guarantee a long hot summer the transplant is the best idea.

For direct sowing, warm the ground by covering with plastic for about three weeks before you plant, then plant through it, fleece the area and put cloches on top of were the seeds are.

XX Jeannine