It's my first time growing squashes other than bog standard bush courgettes this year. I have Uchiki Kuri, harrier, hunter and hawk butternuts and blue moon pumpkin.
The kuri and butternuts are at about 3 to 4 feet spacing planted through holes in weed control for a bit extra warmth. Is this ok? I intended to train them in a spiral somehow, any tips on that method?
The blue moon pumpkin is spaced about 8 feet apart (got a wigwam of beans between) as I expected them to romp away into huge plants but they are just sitting there bout 8" tall, hardly growing but developing flower buds. One had a male flower out today. A bit disappointing so far :(
Quote from: Uncle_Filthster on July 07, 2011, 21:55:57
It's my first time growing squashes other than bog standard bush courgettes this year. I have Uchiki Kuri, harrier, hunter and hawk butternuts and blue moon pumpkin.
The kuri and butternuts are at about 3 to 4 feet spacing planted through holes in weed control for a bit extra warmth. Is this ok? I intended to train them in a spiral somehow, any tips on that method?
The blue moon pumpkin is spaced about 8 feet apart (got a wigwam of beans between) as I expected them to romp away into huge plants but they are just sitting there bout 8" tall, hardly growing but developing flower buds. One had a male flower out today. A bit disappointing so far :(
Seems a common theme!:(
it all sounds ok to me Uncle. Patience I think is needed now, that and some warmth :)
I haven't tried growing them in a spiral, yet, was going to try it this year and see how it worked. I know one or two peeps on here do so, so hopefully they will be along shortly :)
Ah I had high hopes for teh spiral system, but you have got to be quick! (Quicker than I!) As the vine grabs hold of everything it can and puts down peripheral roots, you may be hard pushed to move it! So mine are just trailing down the side of the path!!! My neighbour doesn't seem to mind (if I have enough I will give him a Butternut to compensate :)
I don't even try to keep them separate from the others, I just let them trail over the space as they can. One is growing through the onion patch but they will come out soon so it's not a problem. The others are in with the potatoes, again not a problem, I will just dig around them. Last year they got into the tomatoes but that was not great because you stomp all over that space to pick your toms.
There seems to have been some growth since yesterday! Well, on some of the plants anyway (not my blue moon). I think I will let one of the kuri trail around the area/up the side of the path where I have a couple of fruit trees. The other one I will try to spiral, along with the butternuts if need be. I'll be able to compare the two methods then and decide what I prefer :) Gave them all a sprinkling of 6x as well so hopefully that will encourage them on a bit.
Tomorrrow's/later today's task is to start on a hoop house or two for the butternuts with us being up here in coastal Northumberland
I think the spacing will be ok, Uncle.
I'm spiralling mine too, I always grown them round small bamboo wigwams, but I believe some people just grow them round and round on the ground? I was toying with the idea of doing that. I don't think I'd trust them to go off on their own! Maybe I'm a control freak ;D
Some of mine have been romping away and some are still teeny and weedy and not looking happy. Even within one type it seems to vary.
I'm growing jumbo pink banana for the first time this year, and am surprised how compact the plants are, when you think how large the fruit get. They've already got fruit on, so they seem happy enough.
They all seem to be growing today, thankfully! The kuri have grown at least 4" since friday. I have one now pegged down into the start of a spiral and the other one heading off towards my apple tree. The blue moon finally have some noticeable growth, even though it's only a small amount, but at least I can see they are actually going to start trailing over the area I planned for them.
Bit happier now and should have a couple of half decent courgettes by the weekend too! :)