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I've sown my first of these in the heated propagator this year. They've just germinated and I've taken them out. However, within a day and a half they've grown to about 6 inches. Does anyone know if this is too leggy for a squash? - can i pot them up and bury half of the stem? (as with the tomatoes) I've grown them once before but only by sowing directly into the ground.

Also, at what stage is it ok to put squash (and bean) seedlings into a cold greenhouse?

thanks

Mine have been in a cold frame for a couple of weeks now. They've been fine; not much growth at the moment, but they're not coming to any harm either.

My squash will go into the cold greenhouse from the windowsill today, but I will keep an eye on the weather and maybe fleece over the next few weeks if we're due for a cold night.

It might be best to leave the stems, as they can rot if buried. When you have a mighty trailing giant, six inches of stem might seem more in proportion ::)

I am growing three of each squash, in succession:

a) sown early April indoors, chitted first
b) sown late April in pots indoors
c) sown direct in the soil in May

That way they get three chances 8)

My cucumber plants are all quite leggy. I think it's quite normal for squash family to get leggy ::)
I did hear that you can add compost as they grow (bury the stem) so I'm adding compost as their stem grow longer but I've added extra sharp sand to the compost so that they don't get neck rot, as supersprout said. Also try to keep compost moist, not wet and water from bottom if you can. My cucumber plants seem to be happy this way. :D

I was very much interested in Green Hokkaido from Real Seed Catalogue but I couldn't buy the seeds as I had to spend 5 pounds or so as a minimum order and I had bought all other veg seeds by then. :(

Please let us know how your Green Hokkaido plants do.  :) Hope you have a bumper crop as they are supposed to do!

Thanks for the replies

Quote from: Tora on April 24, 2006, 09:51:00

I was very much interested in Green Hokkaido from Real Seed Catalogue but I couldn't buy the seeds as I had to spend 5 pounds or so as a minimum order and I had bought all other veg seeds by then. :(

Please let us know how your Green Hokkaido plants do.  :) Hope you have a bumper crop as they are supposed to do!

I'll be attempting to save the seed from the squashes this year - although the method seems rather fiddly. If you remind me in the autumn I'll send you some seed.

I'm growing lots of veg from the real seed catalogue this year - ugly but tasty veg I hope.

Quote from: gavin. on April 24, 2006, 16:39:15
If you remind me in the autumn I'll send you some seed.
I'm growing lots of veg from the real seed catalogue this year - ugly but tasty veg I hope.

Yes, I would love that, Gavin. Thank you. :-*
I found the real seed catalogue really attractive. I'm trying to grow only open pollinated varieties from next year (this year I sowed some left over F1 seeds) so will definitely buy some seeds from them. This year I'm growing nearly 20 varieties of tomatoes and many other vegetables so you are more than welcome to have the seeds if you are interested. :)

Good luck with ugly but tasty veg! ;D