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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: RenishawPhil on April 25, 2012, 19:04:40

Title: Success with growing Squash/Pumpkins/Courgettes in manure?
Post by: RenishawPhil on April 25, 2012, 19:04:40
Can people tell me if they have had success in the growing any of the above in manure, got it all planned to do this year but have been reading a few things about the plants growing loads and not producing much in the way of flowers?

any opinions please??
Title: Re: Success with growing Squash/Pumpkins/Courgettes in manure?
Post by: chriscross1966 on April 25, 2012, 22:13:50
YEs but I wouldn't use something good like pig or well rotted cow.... I've had good result using a pile of horse filed tailings (ie straight poo, no straw and more importantly no urine) with a handful of chicken poo pellets and some BFB, then feed with tomato fertiliser once they've started flowering...
Title: Re: Success with growing Squash/Pumpkins/Courgettes in manure?
Post by: Tee Gee on April 25, 2012, 22:36:33
I don't plant out in raw manure as such,but every year I grow them on top of the compost heap.

If the top layer of my heap is a bit fresh I sink bottomless pots in it and fill them with used compost with some fertiliser added.

This means the water roots can  penetrate the heap and the feeding roots remain in the bucket.

I am not saying this procedure  is necessary, but it works for me so I am sticking with it.
Title: Re: Success with growing Squash/Pumpkins/Courgettes in manure?
Post by: claybasket on April 25, 2012, 23:03:07
I am going to grow my courgettes in my compost bins got four, as am running out of space ,its a good way toof making use of your bins, as the courgettes take up a bit of room thats why some pepole don't grow them ,your compost bin is full of good stuff just sitting doing nothing .
Title: Re: Success with growing Squash/Pumpkins/Courgettes in manure?
Post by: peanuts on April 26, 2012, 06:57:43
I never grew pumpkins/squashes in UK, but here in SW France we have access to free cow manure of good quality, (apart from possibly having or attracting nasty mole crickets!).  We have a huge heap in the far corner of the garden and that is where I sow direct our squash seeds.  Despite various locals saying it will never work it does for us, and they produce a veritable forest of leaves and many, many fruits, which ripen well here as there is a lot of warmth in the sun.
I've sown them in fresh manure and old manure, works in both for us.
Title: Re: Success with growing Squash/Pumpkins/Courgettes in manure?
Post by: kippers garden on April 26, 2012, 19:03:41
I put two pumpkins straight into my heap of well rotten horse manure and the pumpkins were dreadful and small.....I found it was too dry even though the manure was covered in tarpauline and i watered most days through a bottle to get to the roots.

I wouldn't do it again.