Allotments 4 All

I have several butternut squash plants (Hunter) and they look as if they only have male flowers, no sign of any squash at all.  Is there any hope I might get some squash now or is it too late? 

Lizann, mine were same a week ago now wee female fruits/growth showing :)

Fab, so there is still hope!  Thanks.

thats exactly the question i was going to ask i've got 2 plants and they only seem to have male flowers.

i have a few fruit on my plants, but do the male flowers need to be removed does anyone know??

Hiya, Colman, welcome to a4a  ;D
short answer is no, the male flowers are needed to pollinate the fruit  :)

Quote from: manicscousers on July 30, 2009, 21:00:41
Hiya, Colman, welcome to a4a  ;D
short answer is no, the male flowers are needed to pollinate the fruit  :)

thanks for the info, and for the welcome...
had my lottie since january and its been a steep learning curve but great fun...

Hello colman and welcome to A4A.  My first year too and yes it is very steep! Made quite a few rookie bloomers but had a few successes too.  One of my butternuts has just started small fruit but the other is same as yours.

Lushy x

I have three plants growing (seeds from the BBC Dig It programme), noticed the first little squashes tonight, they are only about 1" long, but I'm happy all the same. For your info, I only noticed the first flowers of any kind around one week ago.  

i find butternut always takes longe to start fruiting, this is what i said last year in relation to getting as many mature fruits as possible:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,45150.msg451650.html#msg451650

I have Hunter and Harrier F1.  Neither of which have any fruits at present. ??? ???

I am in Berks and have now been growing butternut squashes for 5 years. They are sown indoors around mid-April and planted out in mid-May.

Typically the fruits start to appear around the first week in August - it was earlier in 2006 when we had a good summer.  This year they are about 10 days ahead of schedule. The variety is Avalon. I also tried Harrier one year but was not impressed with them.

We have grown all our squash up a  structure this year and they do seem to be fruiting better. Haven't got all that growth on the ground waiting to trip me up. Some have side shooted so may let a couple have a wander down the edge of the plot where they can do no harm. BTW Wecome to the site

My Hunter butternut have been producing all female flowers for last couple of weeks(more than a dozen already). Still not a male in sight. Had same problem with other squash and courgette.

Last year my BNS produced fruit very late but I still got a good crop - just hold on in there!

QuoteStill not a male in sight

Will a pumpkin or courgette do the job?  I have a trompetto D'albenga (also a curcurbita moschata)and that is having no problem at all being fertilized.

Only one of mine is producing females, and that it the one I gave to someone else. ::) ::)

Digerdoo, any squash will fertilise the butternut female flowers, but the resulting seeds from squashes produced can't be used to get more butternuts as the seed will be crossed and not run true to type. Not a problem in my book - I usually loove buying seeds anyway.
So far I've had about 4 of my round courgettes to eat, but no baby butternuts. With the funny weather they'll take a bit longer this year, I suspect. Butternuts always seem to be the last to produce on my plot.

Even my courgettes aren't brilliant this year.  Two plants and only one decent courgette from each so far.  Wonder what I'm doing wrong.  I though courgettes were meant to be really easy to grow and I would have trouble keeping up with eating them, but not so.  Think I might try a different type than just the usual long green ones next year.  Any suggestions gratefully received.

QuoteEven my courgettes aren't brilliant this year

What variety are you growing?  Courgettes like bucket full of compost and lots of water and sun.  Did you manage to harden them off well.  If they get too much of a set back they give up.  And how are you for slugs?  If these are a problem there are several varieties which are more slug resistant than others.

What do you like  doing with courgettes.  Do you like them fried or in ratatoille?  Send me a PM and I will send you some different types to try next year.

Wished yer lived near me Lizann. You could have some of mine. Everyone on our site that I offer them to gives me that knowing look and I just skulk away. ;D