Can anyone give me advise on growing butternut squash .
I have looked in two nurseries and two seed catalouges both without success ???
I always try this site for that kind of query, it's not always 100% right but usually gives you a fairly good idea
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alex.martin2/Index/Index.html
Steve a
Butternuts are for sale from seed in most of the seed catalogues I've got, and in the seeds section of the supermarket, Wilko etc. It gives sowing and aftercare instructions on the packet. You can start the seed off singly in potting compost in May for planting out when there's no danger of frost. They need space as they spread along the ground (or train them up a strong support) I think they need the same type of care as courgettes. You can start cropping them from September if big enough. Keep the fruits off the ground using a plate or tray etc so they don't rot or get eaten by slugs etc. They are quite slow growing I have found so I would grow several plants as I only got one squash per plant last year. You can cut them and store them until after Christmas it says in Marshalls but leave a bit of stalk on.
Grew these last year and they did really well, think it was more by luck than judgement! Started them off in pots on windowsill, planted out under cloche (which got blown away a couple of times but they seemed to survive). They really took off when the weather got so wet last summer! I only had 3 plants but they were like triffids and took up masses and masses of space, had to chop them back a couple of times. All the fruits seemd to come on the extremities, got 17 in all, most really large and ate the last one last week. Left on the plant till late September, then stored cool. Didn't feed or anything (just handful of organic fertiliser mixed in to bottom of planting hole) and my lottie had not been worked for at least 2 years previously. This year will be planting on manure heap and hoping to repeat beginners luck!
Wow, what an encouraging post ;D
Yeah, must agree with periwinkle, these things need no encouragement, they are definately triffid like.
Grew 2 plants and got stacks of fruit with some still in store. I grew the Avalon variety, which seems to be fairly common. Start them off in pots indoors around now untill May. Once they come up, stick them in a sunny window till all danger of frost has gone. Sometimes they take a couple of weeks to germinate.
Once in the ground I find mine take a while to get going, must be a check when transplanting, but once the weather gets warm,there is no stopping them. I have learned from previous attempts that they go everywhere, and they cling to any support given half a chance, so might be worth growing vertically. do not put them near delicate or short crops as they will scramble all over them and obliterate them. This year I think they are going at the very end of the plot, where all the weeds are, on top of a pile of manure, then I will forget them till harvest.
Last year, they got left untill after light frosts with no ill effect to the fruit. Made finding them easier when all the foliage had died down. The leaves do sometimes look a bit ropey in old age, but this does not seem to have any effect on fruiting though.
I fantastic veg, really satisfying to grow, and so good to eat! Love the plant
I agree about them being good eating. The butternut squash I don't think are as tasty though as some of the others, the latern pumpkins are delish and the blue ones were the best ones I tasted. Our local organic group favour the green and yellow stripey ones. I am sowing Blue Hubbard this time which is supposed to be No.1 for flavour ;D Good tip about letting them go in a weedy area. My whole allotment is a weedy area so they can scramble all over it ;D
Wardy I grow mine upwards on frames, they take up less space and I can get more squash plants in! ;D
I have planted 2 butternut seeds from a packet and 2 from a butternut i bought and ate, they are all doing equally well and have 2 true leaves on them now. Will the ones from the butternut be disease free etc?
they should be healthy - however, as the supermarket variety may have beena hybrid, or have been cross pollinated, you may have some surprise fruit.
just keep them clearly marked so you can tell who's who later on.
it will be an experiment, for sure :)
have fun
svea
Thanks Svea i'll do that. i've done the same with pumkin seeds as well so it will be interesting to see what turns up :D
Doris: - How do you do your frames? Think they will have to be extremely sturdy - but would like to try growing some squashes upwards! Thanks. ;D
Me too Doris. I shall have to get some roofing lathes and get creative ;D
Somewhere on here last year i posted a pic! Will investigate, but basically I do a regular frame, as if for say runners, and string it with old nylon string from old hay bales! Will look for that pic and post it ;D
Here it is, not a great photo, but gives you the idea!
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,3982.0.html
Thanks DP. I am growing Hubbard as well (well, will be when I get my finger out) and want to go up to save space. Will make something like yours hopefully. Some of my constructions have the habit of collapsing like a house of cards ;D
Know what you mean Wardy! Luckily I have raised beds with wood edging, so I attach my Heath Robinson frames to those!
wow! Those squash supports are really good!
Do you know if you can grow courgettes like that too?
Flo
So long as it isn't a bush variety, I see no reason why squashes in any shape or form can't reach for the stars. ;D
Wow D-P that frame is impressive! Perhaps I should try to build one to help with my squash problem.......
I decided to order some seeds from Seeds of Italy, specially wanted to try the courgettes that are like long trumpets with a bulge in the end - saw them on holiday last year - and fancied trying one or two others. Then I saw they do a mixed pack of pumpkins and squashes - 10 named varieties. So I went for that - BUT they are not in lots of different little packets,but all in together! So 10 varieties - but I don't know which is which! I have sort of sorted them. Some of them are almost rectangular - anyone have any clues what they might be? The varieties are:
Marina di Chioggia, Tonda Padana, Lunga di Napoli, Berrettina Piacentina, Butternut Rugosa, Quintale seme Giallo, Tromba d'Albegna, Serpente di Sicilia, Custard White and Vegetable Spaghetti. About 125 seeds in all - would be happy to share some if anyone would like to try pot luck and let me know what gets produced!
The tromba could be the long one with the bulge at the end (al la trombone I'm thinking) ;D
We gre ornamental gourds last year over a bamboo pole fence effect support. They were fab for covering the weeds as the decided to rech for the sky and creep all over the lotty too.
Oooh! I'm so excited. I'm going to be 'managing' the weed-full part of my plot by planting butternut squash and various other squashes. I love how the plants grow so big and riotous so quickly. Roll on the warm weather!!
I just have to hope that I've got enough room in my 'larder' beneath the stairs to store them all!
Clare.
I have an uncultivated weedy plot so squashes and pumpkins all over place to suppress weeds - hopefully :)
Had a poor result with my butternuts last year. Only one weedy plant survived and gave one mini fruit. I think it was too cold/wet for them as my other squash did ok. :'(
This reminds me I have forgotten to buy any butternut seeds this year, results look to be even worse this year then LOL. My purse has just made a run for it, closely followed by the credit card they know what I am like when I get to the garden centre.
Periwinkle, I'm also growing Marina di Chioggia. Here's some info you might find useful -
"Marina di Chioggia: Winter Squash is a very old, rustic pumpkin from near Venice. Thick, kn*bbly blue-green skin and sweet yellow/ orange flesh. Rich in Vitamin A which helps keep eyes and skin healthy. Also contains mineral salts (Calcium & Phosphorous). and sweet strongly scented flowers".
It was that last bit which caught my interest. You should google to find a picture of it - it really is something else!
Did you get the growing instructions with your pack? Let me know if you need them.
Amazin I will be growing Marinas (thanks Loz) but I'd be grateful for growing instructions ta very much. I googled about best tasting squashes and it came up with Blue Hubbard and Marina d c :)