Hi everybody, Trying to grow my squash (butternut, etc) and I think they could use a boost via the watering can. Any suggestions for what I could into a watering can (aside from the water) to help them along? They're already planted in compost heaps on a fairly open allotment. Thanks for any advice
well there is various methods some use comfrey tea some high potash feed most use tomato feed what your looking for is a good NPK rating the higher the better
If you still have access to the soil around best results will be from Chicken manure pellets as there the better NPK rating and more balanced
They should be ok with just the compost heap but if you want to give them a boost then perhaps tomato feed?
I give mine a treat now and again with seaweed extract.
Ah good, I was thinking of tomato feed but worried that it might do some harm instead of good. Will give it a whirl tonight. Part of my problem was I planted a few plants near fresh horse manure (schoolgirl error!), so they definitely need a nitrogen boost. I think I'll also have to invest in some fish blood and bone meal for next year. I'll also dig around for my seaweed extract. Think it's lost in the shed.
Thanks guys!
good to se your around Suzanne my amish are massive three plants are taking over the back garden great cant wait now to try them i have one that has setted so far 4 gems to jack o lantern butternut plants are growing loads of male flowers hardley any female yet though
exciting to see how long they take ;D
found this intresting read http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-24.html
I'm not feeding or watering mine i prepared the holes i planted them in with some rotted rabbit droppings and bedding with a little BFB as well. I was worried they would not have amounted to nothing as the were quite pot bound when i planted them out but as of today I'm quite pleased, see my post in my blog this morning...
http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-pumpkin-winter-squash-patch.html (http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-pumpkin-winter-squash-patch.html)
We put a good bucket load of well rotted manure under all of ours and thats it.
Quote from: shirlton on July 23, 2009, 13:15:56
We put a good bucket load of well rotted manure under all of ours and thats it.
And my squash-growing-officiando says don't fertilize until after it sets fruits. Just like eggplants etc.
Similarly... muck in the pit... may get some tom fertiliser later in the season...
:)
Yup, gave the ones not on the compost piles a good watering with tomato food last night. The rest just got a really good watering this morning. The ones on compost seem a lot happier. The rain keeps threatening in SE London, then not happening. >:( I think now that I've soaked them, it's no doubt pouring.
Kella, you have good reason to be pleased! My poor winter squash are nowhere near yours in maturity. They look fab.
Daileg, very glad that the Amish worked out and thanks for the link. My toms are going absolutely jungley out back in the pots. Squashes seem to do lots of males first for some reason, might be because it takes more effort for female flowers?
In other news, I've got two colleagues on tap to donate chicken and horse manure! I think this autumn/winter is going to be big time rebuild the allotment plot soil for us. We've been planting continuously for five years (winter and spring veg) and I think we've sapped the soil somewhat, so the squash are suffering, even with the compost piles. Some would say it's the weeds... ;D
I use Bone Meal for most of my plants, including squash.
I also haven't bothered feeding mine, they seem to be romping away fine without any extra assistance, but then they are planted in rotted manure :D
Thifasmom - your squash and your plot is looking fab! I can see there's been lots of hard work
has anyone tried feeding with beer? i've heard its good?
Squashfan and 1066 thanks for the lovely comments :-*.
Quote from: simmo116 on July 24, 2009, 17:31:52
has anyone tried feeding with beer? i've heard its good?
Haven't heard that 1 before, think I'd rather sit back and look at my pumpkins while I drink the beer ;D . But maybe someone on here has heard of this?
Quote from: thifasmom on July 25, 2009, 00:35:08
Squashfan and 1066 thanks for the lovely comments :-*.
Your welcome Thifasmom. Looking at your pics of your pumpkin patch made me look at mine again, and in case I forget could someone remind me to buy seeds for bush pumpkins! i.e.
not to grow mainly trailing types next year :P ;D
My pumpkins are on a mission to take over the world. Do not seem to need feeding at the moment. Got a bucket of manure and one mulch to start.
Quotebush pumpkins
I like the sound of these bush types. Can anyone recommend some? The trailing type are putting down roots all over.
I've heard about the beer especially for growing prize size marrows. Saw something on TV (Can't remember when I saw it) about a guy who got a bucket full of waste beer from his local every day. Smells better than comfrey tea. ;D ;D
Hi squashfan..... I've started using nettle fertiliser this year and all my plants are really benefiting. Really easy to do provided you can stand a bit of a swampy smell. If you fancy giving it a go click on the link to my blog below & do a search on 'nettle'. Regards, John
http://allotmentheaven.blogspot.com/
Quote from: JohnMac on July 25, 2009, 07:27:28
Hi squashfan..... I've started using nettle fertiliser this year and all my plants are really benefiting. Really easy to do provided you can stand a bit of a swampy smell. If you fancy giving it a go click on the link to my blog below & do a search on 'nettle'. Regards, John
http://allotmentheaven.blogspot.com/
Great Blog, Jonh :) Ilike the sublimal mentioningof cups every paragraph or two......is this to wear down the opposition???
Quote from: 1066 on July 25, 2009, 05:56:59
Quote from: thifasmom on July 25, 2009, 00:35:08
Squashfan and 1066 thanks for the lovely comments :-*.
Your welcome Thifasmom. Looking at your pics of your pumpkin patch made me look at mine again, and in case I forget could someone remind me to buy seeds for bush pumpkins! i.e. not to grow mainly trailing types next year :P ;D
was checking the plants again this am and was placing tiles under the fruits to keep them off the damp cardboard and hopefully the slugs ::) and noticed that
Squash: Celebration wasn't trailing at all but forming all its fruits on a short central stem measuring about 15 inches. can anyone else confirm this is not a trailer, if its not I'll happily grow it in my raised beds next year, that's if it doesnot get the chop for poor flavour, etc.
Thifasmum. I have the same squash and was tld it was a non-vining/bush one. Atpresent it has one fruit at the centre of the plant. It is'nt sending out loads of trailers. Hope this helps :)
Quote from: Hector on July 26, 2009, 09:21:55
Thifasmum. I have the same squash and was tld it was a non-vining/bush one. Atpresent it has one fruit at the centre of the plant. It is'nt sending out loads of trailers. Hope this helps :)
thanks, i got the seeds in a swap and my research didn't produce this info, so i'll add it to the seed packet for future referance, thanks again.
Quote from: Digeroo on July 25, 2009, 07:25:47
I like the sound of these bush types. Can anyone recommend some?
So Thfasmom has Celebration, are there any more recommendations for digeroo and me ;D
edited - just reading this thread and it has a few more potential varieties mentioned
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,53834.0.html
1066
I give mine the slopps from the local pub.... they love it!!! Wonder if they'll come out alcholics!!! ???
My butternut squsash are trying to take over the whole allotment!! the leaves just keep moving around - covering the leeks and have intertwined with the tomatoes - ( who are at least a metre and a half away from where the squasah was planted) alas though no actual plants yet -lots of flowers and promises of things to come....
Have never fed them though.... perhaps that is what they are looking for
sue
Quote from: Hector on July 25, 2009, 08:43:18
Quote from: JohnMac on July 25, 2009, 07:27:28
Hi squashfan..... I've started using nettle fertiliser this year and all my plants are really benefiting. Really easy to do provided you can stand a bit of a swampy smell. If you fancy giving it a go click on the link to my blog below & do a search on 'nettle'. Regards, John
http://allotmentheaven.blogspot.com/
Great Blog, Jonh :) Ilike the sublimal mentioningof cups every paragraph or two......is this to wear down the opposition???
Hi Hector...Having bought the three cups you'd think my sons would let me win them occasionally... but no, there's no quarter given. My own fault for being so competitive & no doubt passing that on to them! John
Quote from: shirlton on July 23, 2009, 13:15:56
We put a good bucket load of well rotted manure under all of ours and that's it.
I did that and my Butternut squash plants are still only about wide from leaf edge to leaf edge. They are Harrier F1 bush variety and show no signs of any BS yet ??? ??? Guess they will be getting some chicken pellets or tomato feed tomorrow then.
haven't checked my squash at the lottie since my return from oop north for work this week, but the ones in the back garden are doing well - lots of green tennis balls there. :D
One fairly nice prolific bush squash is the Northern bush. I got a decent output from them a few years ago tho the local yobs decided to grab a couple and smash them by the gates! >:( They were your typical pumpkin shape and size.
For pure pumpkin tastiness, there is a warty horror called galeuse d'esysines (sp?) that makes excellent pumpkin soup. But it's a trailing vine. And looks like it has a virus!
Quote from: Squashfan on July 30, 2009, 14:57:11
One fairly nice prolific bush squash is the Northern bush. I got a decent output from them a few years ago tho the local yobs decided to grab a couple and smash them by the gates! >:( They were your typical pumpkin shape and size.
Thanks for the info another 1 to try next year.
I take it you mean the pumpkins are pumpkin shaped and not the yobs ;) ;D
1066
Dunno, judging by the wrappers the locals chuck into the plot I suspect some of them are quite round! ;D
;D ;D ;D
And hope you get some good yob free pumpkins this year :)
my pumkins are doing real fine .
and so are my squashes
all i did last year was get hold of about two tonne of horse manure and putt it were i was gonna put my squashes/gordes . when i felt that it had stood long enough to rot dopwn propperly . i moved the two tunne of s### to were i wanted the pumking (on the furthes corner away from the squashes) thinking that any juces would leach into the soil of were i had stored the manure
once the poo was in the pumking bed i rotavated it all an and left it for about two weeks and put my seeds in, sown direct not into pot then in .
watered the seeds in till they came up and once the main leaves started to show i stoped watering . ive used the same method on both beds and both are doing very nicley
i now have pumkins about twelve main ones that are over two foot across and loads of little gordes
and i havent watered them since they put there main leaves out .
oh and me onions are doing very well next to then as i thing the pumkins are sucking up all the exsess rain