Butternut Squash - Advice please

[giley69]

Good morning!

I am hoping you can help a newbie to growing.

I have a 5m x 1.5m bed ready for butternut squash and was wondering how many seeds I can sow as I know that they spread quite a bit.

Also, am I right in making a mount of manure and top soil and sowing a couple of seeds!?

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Giley

PS - where has all that lovely sunshine gone?

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'd pop the seeds in pots to get them off to a flying start, then plant them out in about 3-4 weeks (make sure you harden them off) - other than that your bed sounds fabulous for them.

I'd guess on 3 to the bed, or maybe just two - they don't half go!

[SarzWix]

Yeah, I'd agree with Hazel - 3 if they can trail over the edge a bit, 2 if not. And get them started indoors - 1 seed to a 3" pot. Then when you plant them out, give them a bit of protection if you can - a bit of fleece over them or a cloche - until they get established. Butternuts are notoriously pathetic, and the change from pot to soil can be enough to make them sulk a bit They should like being planted into the mounds though

[Jillyreeves]

Read this :-)

Most excellent info

How to grow Butternut Squash - in pictures

[Emmylou]

I've grown Harrier, got 6, hoping they stay compact as they are supposed to be a bush variety. Growing in pots at moment, but intend to do mounds as you suggested.

[giley69]

This is great, thanks so much for your all your advice

So it's best to get them started at home then - I wasn't sure. No problem, I might prepare their bed all ready then tomorrow instead or some weeding!! Yipee.

I am going away in 2 weeks for a week's holiday, so I might get the in-laws to babysit them while we are away...LOL then hopefully they might be ready to plant out when we return.

[Emmylou]

Good idea to get mounds ready before you go,so that it all has time to settle before planting them out.

[giley69]

OK, will do! thanks...

[PAULW]

Butternut squash/ Pumpkin tip when you put the young plant in the bed put a cane next to it then as it starts to grow and spread out you will always know where the rootball is should you need to water during a dry spell.

[Two_Sheds]

Also, am I right in making a mount of manure and top soil and sowing a couple of seeds!?

In Kent, I wouldn't plant them on a mound. They are very thirsty and might dry out the roots too much on a mound.
I have very dry soil, so plant mine into a dip (shallow bowl), so that when I water the roots get it.
I also mulch them with wads of wet newspaper, to keep them moist.

[Lemon]

Butternut squash/ Pumpkin tip when you put the young plant in the bed put a cane next to it then as it starts to grow and spread out you will always know where the rootball is should you need to water during a dry spell.

Good idea, I like to bury an upturned plastic bottle next to mine. I just get an empty water bottle, the evian 750ml is good with the sports cap. Cut off the base, snap off the flip-top cover and bury this with the cut-off base pointing up. Doesn't need to be completely submerged, I just do half-way up sides of bottle. When watering, I fill up the bottle and because it's next to the courgette roots, the water goes directly to the roots. Works for me!

If I use a smaller bottle with screw-top lid, I puncture the cap with several large holes and use it the same as the sports cap bottle.

[Fraser]

Can you grow Butternut Squash in a pot? i dont have any room in the garden to put them in the ground.

[giley69]

Hi there,

I have just come back from my hols and the in-law have very kindly been looking after my 3 little squash plants and been hardening them off for me over the past few days.

OK, I have just been down the plot to plant them out... have made a shallow bowl, with manure and compost (as recommended above)... and put them in the middle...under a plastic bottle!

The thing I am little worried about is that they are about 4 inches high (with 2 main leaves and the second set coming along nicely)and not sure if we should have planted them a little lower into the ground!? it is very windy up the plot and once I take off the cloche they might not like being blown about!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Giley

[Matt.]

Wind damage can be fatal to squash and pumpkin plants until the main stem starts to "vine" and trail along the ground. If you suspect they are particularly exposed try to protect with some form of a barrier.

By the way I'd double up the number of plants you have in that space.

[giley69]

Wind damage can be fatal to squash and pumpkin plants until the main stem starts to "vine" and trail along the ground. If you suspect they are particularly exposed try to protect with some form of a barrier.

By the way I'd double up the number of plants you have in that space.

Thanks matt-i have a cloche over them so hopefully that will help them for the time being.

Re. Doubling up-do you think I have time to put some more in? I thought they needed quite a lot of room to trail!?