I have two Crown prince squash plants hardened off ready to plant out but I'm nervous. I'm planning to plant them in a heap I've made consisting of a pile of weeds dug out of my beds covered with a foot or so of three year old deep littered sheep muck out of a barn. I'm told it should be fine by the no dig folk but I only have two and don't want to lose them. I love Crown Prince squashes. Help!
I always grew my Pumpkins this way and as Squash are of the same family I don't see any problem!
This is how I grew my Pumpkins:
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/P/Pumpkin/Pumpkin.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/P/Pumpkin/Pumpkin.htm)
Click on the photos to enlarge them!
Fully agree with Tee Gees advice but would only add:
Consolidate the heap to maximise water holding ability
Fully control slugs
Insert twiggy sticks to prevent the developing stems 'whiplashing' if windy conditions occur in the first month.
My parents used to grow squashes in the muckheap, which consisted of years of excavatings from the goatshed, and must have stood about four feet high. I think they'll be OK!
I don't plant my squash out until June, but your compost heap sounds fine!
I grow mine upwards and use a polytunnel frame to drape them over. Just protect the stem at all costs, try a cut down milk carton or water bottle if you can get one, something wide enough it can stay on the whole season and a physical barrier to slugs and to protect from wind rock as already suggested, I usually mark it with a cane so you know where the plant is for watering and feeding reasons as once they get going you wont be able to tell where it was planted!
Yes they do well on muck heaps. Lots of moisture retentive material and nitrogen. I remember when we had a holiday in the mountains of Andalusia many years ago there was a muck heap near the house we were staying and it was full of squash and pumpkin. I don't think they were sown there deliberately. They probably grew from discarded seed from the kitchen when preparing the squashes.
The downside to growing crops on your heap is that you can't turn it - but if that's not a problem for you, go for it.