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I'm thinking of growing the following squashes this year, and would like to grow some of them upwards.  Does anyone know which are OK to climb, or not as the case may be ???

Marina Di Chiogga
Sweet Oven
Table Queen Acorn
Butternut
Golden Hubbard
Sweet Dumpling
Buttercup
Crown Prince
Baby Bear

Thanks everyone

The only true climbing Courgette and spectacular at that, is Tromboncino which grows to an enormous 3 feet in length with a pretty impressive Bell End...like a trombone!! :o ;D...I'm growing some this year and from TV evidence, they will gladly grow up a fence or trellis....good luck....Dinger

Ooooh!  I've got some of those too, but I'd never thought about growing them up trellis ::)

Thanks Dinger.

Actually any of the vining squashes will grow on a trellis just the same as a cucumber,you will have to give it a bit of help tying it on etc , the bush types will not as they don't  produce rambling vines, generally speaking the winter squashes will vine and the summer squashes will bush but there are exceptions.It is therefore important to know the habits of the squash you intend to grow.The other consideration is the size of the veggie it produces.eg take  a pumpkin which  is a winter squash, an Atlantic Giant which can grow enormous could not be trellised  simply because of the weight, yet a Jack be Little which grows as small as a orange trellises beautifully. I have grown squash for a great many years and  usually grow about 25 different squash varieties each year,some are too big  to grow vertical  but many will trellis without difficulty.You need to know the average weight of the ones you intend to grow. If you need more info re weights please post again and I can help you with this. Great to meet another squash lover.XX Jeannine

I wouldn't try growing Marina di Chioggia as I grew it last year and the fruit was big and heavy.
I'll watch this post with interest as I'm hoping to grow some squash vertically this year too.

Me too. Was planning to try butternut and CP but not got much room and it seems CP is a bit of a beast. Supersprout suggested Buttercup as an alternative so will be trying that instead.

Quote from: Jeannine on March 12, 2007, 15:39:07
Jack be Little which grows as small as a orange trellises beautifully.

Sounds perfect for me Jeannine, how many little squashes do you get per plant?

Quote from: Jeannine on March 12, 2007, 15:39:07
I have grown squash for a great many years and  usually grow about 25 different squash varieties each year

Blimey! :o Are they all outdoors? What's your favourite?

Bit tricksy as said before on this thread, if you try and trellis squashes that wind up heavy. I'd go for the smaller sizes and provide plenty of support for the growing fruit. To the extent of building little platforms or something.  ;D
Crown Princes get fairly big, at least dinner plate size and they're heavy. Butternut may be all right but I've had some beasts on those as well. Maybe the baby bear? Good luck and keep us posted!

My favourite actually is Delicata type Sugar Loaf, it grows about 6-7 inces long and about half as wide,it will trellis. I like some butternuts better than others..Once the type grows bigger than a melon it gets harder unless you can pop them in a sling and keep the weight off the stem.Troboncino  which is a summer squash(more corguette texture) loves to trellis.

Below is a list of smaller winter  squash that will trellis too.
Gem,green, size of an orange,sweet yellow flesh,keeps well and matures quickly.
Festival F1 grows to  about melon size. Orange with bright green stripes.Pretty.
Buttercup,small  very sweet .
Zenith Butternut,smaller than some.
Most of the Delicata types,( see above) Sugar loaf or it's cousin Sweet Dumpling.
Hi Beta Gold is a smaller spaghetti squash.
Titty fruit.


Pumpkin
Jack be Little loads of small squash 3-4 inches.
Small Sugar, the very best for pies. about 7inches.
Baby Boo.
Hooligan,mini pumpkin.

There is a very long list actually. Let me know if you need more info.

Have fun XX Jeannine

Table King Acorn is a compact bush winter squash(the exception to the rule)
Table Queen Acorn grows bigger. XX Jeannine

Jeannine, i am going to grow my squashes and pumpkin vertically this year too  ;D

Honestly i cant wait. I was inspired by some pics that EJ posted a while back.

We have been clearing an area and MR Honeybee is going to build me a pergola type structure. I actually bought him a new saw for the job yesterday, kind aren't I? ;D  ;D

But he said if i was going to find him any more jobs in the garden then he was going to "saw my bloody head off with it"  :o
Good job i love him isn't it? :D

Cant wait to get going with the squashes this year  :P

Munchkin climbs, Sarah Raven recommends planting it so that it follows sweet peas.

So glad you posted this Blisters. I plan to go upward this year, so thanks Jeannine and others for the info. I did see a pic of squashes in a cradle made from tights for support which I thought was a good idea as it is easily tied to the trellis.

Hi Honeybee, yes we are kind aren't we,my John got a saw for his birthday...if he had bought me a vacuum cleaner I would have gone mad.Is it the same do you think?

Your plan sound wonderful,I think you will enjoy the squash like that,they look so pretty,not so in the pumpkin patch, but I just love to walk through when it is all grown and peep under leaves. I rarely remember what I put where so it is always a thrill. I usually only grow one two  at the most of any one kind as I love the choices. I think if I woke up one morning to find I was  very very rich I would have the biggest pumpkin patch in the world

I never save my seeds as I can't be bothered with the bagging to keep pure but I find the seeds last a long time if stored well. I planted some 1988 seeds this year and out of 10 I got 7.I am happy with that.

Have fun with your punkins!!

XX Jeannine

Thanks everyone.

With the benefit of your collective wisdom, I am going to try Baby Bear, Buttercup and Sweet Dumpling and keep my fingers crossed and hard hat at the ready ;)

I'll let you know how I get on and look forward to hearing how everyone else fairs.

Don't forget to take some piccies for us all to see later in the year!  Oh, and good luck!  ;D