Funny question about winter squash

[Jeannine]

I should know this but don't.

 Can I allow a well dug in plant to ramble over gravel after the first 3 feet. I am extremely short of space, these days I just have my greenhouse and some very large pots like half  barrels  mostly. I have flower borders round the lawn but they are for the most part in shade I have a small square about 3 feet of good ground  just outside my greenhouse to the right in full sun but then all round the greenhouse it is gravel.

I have 4 very important winter squash plants that I really want to grow for seed this year and am unsure as to were to put them and looking for ideas . They were originally going to my sons but he has multiple squash planned and they would cross. Currently they are in 18 ich tall pots in the greenhouse waiting to go in the ground. I did think about keeping one in there and hand pollinating it but the space it will take up is prohibitive, growing it vertically would shade the other things in there and the squash are a bit big for that..

I could grow in a half barrel along a wall with a trellis, the sun is OK but the squash size worries me. I also have a trellis with a foot wide border enclosed in stone against a side wall with extremely sandy soil, the sun changes as the day progresses but it is in shade by 2pm.

I am sort of stuck and would welcome any ideas

XX Jeannine

[tricia]

Hi Jeannine,

I had one too many butternut plants last year so John planted it in a very small, well manured space and let it roam along the paving in front of my apple trees. We stopped the run at about 4 meters (not allowing any branching) and harvested 4 good sized squash so I would say go ahead!

This year I've had difficulty getting Waltham butternut seeds to germinate, so am relying on the Butterfly variety, also growing Pink banana and Potimarron, growing them all on obelisks in one 2m x 1m raised bed.

Hope you are keeping well and will have a good growing season.

Tricia x

[JanG]

Hi Jeannine. I also think you're fine to let your squash ramble over your gravel. They try to put down further roots of course, but can manage without those, and in any case the roots can explore your gravel for moisture.

Are you also wondering how many would go into your three foot square of good soil? There I'm uncertain. Two certainly. Maybe three? Possibly all four if they can get their roots really deep and perhaps beyond the surface area of soil? Could you have one in a half barrel, and allow it to trail along the gravel with the others?

I hope yours grow well too, Tricia. I'm also trying Pink Banana for the first time (and Potimarron, but not for the first time)  but it's very slow to get going. I'm hoping it will catch up.

[galina]

I also think you would be absolutely fine, Jeannine. 

[Jeannine]

Thank you all, I will go ahead and plant just one in my good soil space and let it go gravel walking and will do another in a half barrel and let it roam on my tiled patio  paths. The other two will go in a border, they will have to roam round shrubs etc but better than the bin.

It is the Mayoral Blue by the way I have managed to get 4 really big plants from the very old seed I sowed  so am really pleased about that and looking forward to being able to share seeds before I myself pop off.

JanG..still perusing, I haven't forgotten I am just so busy trying to get everything in place for the season and I am very slow these days doing that.

Thank you all a again


XX Jeannine

[galina]

Thank  y o u  Jeannine for keeping this squash alive. 

[Jeannine]

Jut an update on these precious plants. I still have 4 going well, 3 forging ahead , one a wee bit slower. They are all in pots,1/2 barrel size. 3 left to ramble on my flat paved/low planted rock garden. They are on the ground now and attaching them selves to patches of soil and to my creeping Thyme but they are doing very well. The 4th one is growing upwards  up a large decorative column by my entrance. It seems quite happy. Each one seems to put on about 6 inches of growth in a day. Lots of boys hovering but as of today three or  four  girls are popping on 3 plants . I am still crossing my fingers but right now I feel Ok about them. Anyway the plan to send seeds to share  seems more likely every day.I have never grown squash vertically so I guess I need to get ready with net bags or panty hose.

XX Jeannine

[galina]

Oh WoW Jeannine, flowers already of both types.  Congratulations. I don't think you need to tie them up unless they get to many pounds in weight. The smaller, say Uchiki Kuri sized squashes, make stems that are strong enough.  Unless it could be windy,  I think on the whole they would be self supporting. But it certainly can't hurt and would make sure. 

You are a star rescuing this variety, thank you.   

[Jeannine]

Thank you Galina, it is s bit nerve wracking but shall do my best. I think they will be too heavy to be netted but I will see a little later. Thank you for the encouragement

XX Jeannine

[JanG]

It sounds very promising. Good luck!