I have sugar loaf that are meant to be the vining not the bush form. Silly question to those who have grown the vining one...how climby are they? I have two plants and they have bushed out and have viney tendrils but dont seem to have a leading offshoot like my other viney squash....what do you hink as I want to attach them to climb up canes? Do the climby ones of this variety have a strong climbing habit? Wondering if I have bushy seed by accident!
Most squashes don't usually climb very high it is about enough to raise the fruit from the ground by attaching to other stronger plants or a mesh rather than on canes. Although they are called climbing I find squashes are happier sprawling rather than climbing like runner beans do.
It is not unknown for seeds in a packet not to be what it says on the label either.
I don't know the particular variety you mention but I just keep an eye on the plant and usually after about 3-4 pairs of leaves you can tell if it is going to bush or trail (climb)
Here are some examples;
Acorn squash has a bushy habit so I just give it space to expand. I tend to stick a cane in at planting time for two reasons;
1) I can tie the plant up to it if required 2) it lets me know where the root ball is when the masses of leaves obscure the planting spot.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/July/AcornsquashCucumber.jpg)
Butternut squash is a trailing variety but I tend to grow it vertically, although this year I am trying it out as a trailer outdoors as well.
Since taking the picture the climbing lot have gone up to the eaves, up the slope of the roof and are now bieng trained horizontally on the other side of the greenhouse so I guess the must be about 10-12 ft long!
Climbing;
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/July/Butternutsquash.jpg)
Trailing;
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/July/Butternutsquashgrowingoutdoors.jpg)
I hope this helps to answer your query!
All of mine are climbing well apart from Winter Festival. Me thinks that perhaps its a bush type