I have some saved seed from a Butternut squash that I bought in our local green grocers.
If I manage to get them to grow, how much room can I expect the plant to need?
i trailed ours up a support and along the greenhouse roof on rope,i had 4 plants in a 8x6 greenie. plus a few peppers chillis and a watermelon.i did have to hack the plants back every 4 weeks or so just to get in there!
It depends on how you grow them.
I grew some upwards with the runnerbeans and one along the edges of the raised beds used for the squash's.
I made the mistake of knocking one of the ones growing upwards and the stalk broke, so it only grew to a small ball size(about the size of a softball). The one i had in the raised bed was trained/trimmed to grow along the edge so only took up about 12" wide by 5' long.
Neil
Depends as you have the choice to trail on the ground or up and over something. With a bit of thought you can minimise the space by climbing them over compost bins or sheds. I try to save space by planting in with toms or sweetcorn and trailing around on the ground to cover bare earth - acts as a good weed cover as well.
I put my squashes in on an expectation that they will take a square metre each (about 10 square feet)..... I did climb a butternut up a propped up pallet last yerar to good effect....
chrisc
Would one of the black florist buckets be big enough to support one plant?
Quote from: Mortality on March 09, 2010, 09:35:38
Would one of the black florist buckets be big enough to support one plant?
Not really unless it was one of the mini-fruited varieties (don't think there is a small butternut, it'd have to be festival, jack be little, baby boo etc) .... problem will be getting enough feed and water to what is basically a hungry thirsty plant.....
you could use this technique perhaps.... http://www.globalbuckets.org/ (http://www.globalbuckets.org/)
chrisc
Quote from: Mortality on March 09, 2010, 09:09:09
I have some saved seed from a Butternut squash that I bought in our local green grocers.
If I manage to get them to grow, how much room can I expect the plant to need?
Remember that butternuts grown from saved seed don't always turn out the same as the ones they are saved from. I use bought seed so I know what to expect, but if you don't mind taking pot luck, then good luck!
Thanks chriscross, I have room in a raised bed still and might be able to use a boarder as well.
Squash64, yes thats partly why i'm going to try and grow them, something totally unexpected could be produced and if it's tasty then all the better ;D
You might find that you don't need as much space as you think. There are bush butternuts now that don't ramble all over, they grow more like a zuchinni plant. Commercial growers often use them to get more crops in, so don't be surprised if they don't vine. XX Jeannine
Jeannine do you know which are the bush ones please. Silly question ;). Hope you have/had a lovely anniversary.