Like most other members I have lost of veg due to the rain. My brassicas (sic?) seem to be doing really well, but I am worried some are getting leggy.
On the other hand the five butternut squash plants, and two spaghetti marrows seem to be taking over the plot. They are on raised beds but are spreading over the mulched paths onto the neighbouring beds. Do I just let them get on with it, or would it be worth replanting them in the barren areas where other veg have not grown?
By the way this is my first year of growing, and I am loving it, but would love to spend more time outside if the rain/wind would drop.
You picked a good year to start your growing Dandylion! Our squashes are a mixed bunch at the moment - some of them haven't really done anything, others are romping away like yours.
Whatever you do to romping away ones, don't dig them up, it wouldn't do them any good. My technique to control them is to chop off the runners at strategic points - such as just after the last female flower on the stem. That way you get to keep the fruits that the plant has already created embryonically. Female squash flowers have a little bulbous bump at the base of the flower, males just have a straight stem behind them. Make sure you leave some male flowers :o
When we prune our squashes, we tend to think of them as a bit like horizontal tomatoes, but with either 2 or 4 main stems. We pinch out side shoots and stop them when we need to at the end as above.
Good luck.
I would just let them go. I don't prune my squash unless very late in the season and then only to hasten the ripening of the smaller ones. I would certainly advise you not to move them now.
Well done, I am a long time squash collector with none this year due to floods and vandals,so am warmed by the thought of yours romping away.
XX Jeannine
My first year with these. I had 12 pumpkin plants of 2 varieties, all quite well established. Slugs have demolished them all to not a trace left. You would never know I had ever planted any. ::)
first 2 sowings of pumpkins failed, got some from freecycle and both are going great and now my 2nd sowing have germinated
Courgettes look very sorry for themselves though.
Biggest fruit is tennis ball sized and i have maybe 4-5 golf ball sized fruits. Growth is about 6 feet now from base 2 plants still in greenhouse and will be hardened off this week to out out into bed 1/2 manure and 1/2 compost as one is atlantic giant.
I know there is not enough food in the soil for both pumpkin plants in the soil now but i had though that one would die ;D i have some comfry tea and some liquid chicken poo ;D so they will start getting a more regular feed this week ( soil was 2 wet on saturday to do it then ).
Mine the same KT...
:'(
Mine are doing quite well - had a couple of lovely marrows already and many maor are on the plants. One pumpkin so far which is a small football size
wow thats ace :-)
I have just swapped one pumpkin ( to be produced in future ) for some horse manure ;)
Jeannine, I'm in the same boat, lousy year for me and the squashes. :'( Have seen a a few very small courgettes so there's some hope yet. :-\ Maybe the sunny weather this week will encourage them...
my Squashes have gone mad. They are in the flower beds and on the lawn as well. I have loads of Squashes, BUT they keep rotting after they have flowered. I have tried to pollinate as many as i can, but i have not had many male flowers, and the few i have had don't seem to coincide with any female flowers.
Although it does seem to be better after the last 2 days of sunny weather.
what can i do to make sure i get any Squash at all.
any help very much appreciated
Phill ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D